year of beyonce

The Story Behind Beyoncé’s Lemonade Braids

Beyonce in Lemonade
Beyonce in Lemonade Photo: HBO

When Beyoncé filmed Lemonade, she asked her longtime hairstylist, Kim Kimble, to create the visual album’s magnetic looks. “Showing off natural texture was intentional,” Kimble told the Cut. “It wasn’t about humidity or difficulty to manage, but about historical time periods.”

Beyonce in Lemonade

“Braids are big in this section. This look was inspired by Nefertiti, Egyptian culture, and royalty. The look is of braids stacked on top of each other to make a crown. Hair is a woman’s crown. Beyoncé is like royalty when it comes to music, business, being a woman, and being a mother. She is the creme de la creme.”

Beyonce in Lemonade Photo: HBO

“This look shows off cornrows that are braided back. She started wearing cornrows years ago and it has been a popular style for a while.”

Beyonce in Lemonade

“As you see in the whole video, texture is really big right now. We didn’t do a lot of textured styles in the past and wanted to do more of it. You notice a lot of texture throughout the video from women in the background to her dancers — it’s all about celebrating texture. The whole video is paying homage to women’s culture.”

Beyonce in Lemonade

“Back in the day, women of color didn’t press and relax their hair. The hair is a reflection of the time. The era was the inspiration. It’s very antebellum and vintage — you can see it in the clothes, too.”

The Story Behind Beyoncé’s Lemonade Braids