Beyoncé’s hair stylist has the perfect response to that “stringy hair” remark
In September, Beyoncé became the third black woman to be featured on the cover of Vogue‘s biggest yearly issue. Before her was Halle Berry in 2010 and Naomi Campbell in 1989, so she’s definitely in good company. But, despite this achievement and step in the right direction on Vogue‘s part, many focused on one, seemingly irrelevant detail: Beyoncé’s hair.
In a particular article entitled “Beyoncé and the Politics of Stringy Hair,” The Atlantic stated, “The world’s most powerful celebrity is gracing the cover of Vogue with her hair looking distinctly un-pretty.”
The writer continued:
While this piece probably meant to highlight Beyonce’s “un-done” look as a relatable game-changer for women who feel that they must have perfect hair all the time, it didn’t exactly come off that way. Instead, the piece controversially read like it was policing Beyoncé’s hair — and many WOC were quick to point out why it was so problematic.
— Byeisha Curry (@JasmynBeKnowing) August 13, 2015
To address this matter, The Cut spoke with hairstylist Kim Kimble, who worked with Beyoncé on the Vogue cover and also collaborates with Halle Berry, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, and Brandy. They mentioned The Atlantic article debate, and this is what Kimble had to say: