While some may think that Solange’s Saturday Night Live performance look was nothing short of innovative, the intricate hair design may have been inspired by the women from the African country of Zaire during the 19th century. In the photo below, you can a very similar hair design on a Zaire woman during that time. The style was created with bamboo and was turned into a circular halo.
The hair stylist of Solo’s beautiful braided halo, Shani Crowe, was contacted by the singer to create the look after she saw the stylist’s work “Fingerwave Saint” in a art project titled “Braids”. In article written for Jet.com, Crowe said that Solange wanted the same look, but with Swarovski crystal beads. The 100 foot braided halo had over 2.500 crystal beads and too over 50 hours for Crowe to create.
Nothing that Solange does is by chance, so it’s no surprise that she decided to utilize Crowe’s artful braiding skills. Whether her homage to the women of Zaire was inadvertent or  on purpose, she still slayed the look in true Solo fashion.
