Lupita Nyong'o is no stranger to making bold fashion statements, but her latest one has left fans in awe
The actor shared a photo of her bald head adorned with an intricate henna design on Tuesday, and the internet cannot stop gushing over her stunning look. She shared the journey and how the idea came a long.
The tattoo design was done by Sabeena, a self-taught henna artist in New York, who Nyong'o had met at a wedding in Pakistan last year.
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She was impressed by the "intricacy and beauty" of Sabeena's work and promised herself that she would work with her one day.
When Lupita received an invitation to attend the opening night of her friend Mira Nair's musical Monsoon Wedding one and a half years later, she had no idea of what to wear on the head.
Even after borrowing a saree and jewelry from the bride from Pakistan, the look didn't feel complete.
"When I got the invitation to attend the opening night of my dear friend, Mira Nair's I was scrambling at the last minute to find something to wear. I borrowed a sari and jewelry from the bride from Pakistan, but the look didn't feel complete," Lupita wrote.
Then, in the middle of the night, an idea struck Nyong'o - she envisioned a henna design covering her bald head.
She was excited by the idea and knew she had to make it happen. She reached out to Sabeena, who had never designed for a head before, and they were on their way.
"And then, in the middle of the night, an image shot into my mind of a henna design covering my bald head!!! I could do something special and different, to celebrate the culture using the canvas readily available to me! I was so excited by the idea that I could not go back to sleep," she wrote.
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Sabeena suggested using jagua, a natural dye from the jagua fruit of South America, that would be dark enough to give good contrast to Nyong'o's dark skin.
She brought her A-game and was meticulous in her work, stopping now and again for feedback to ensure that Lupita was a happy client. When they looked at the finished head, they were both grinning.
It takes about 24 hours for the dye to really show up, and when it came in full contrast the next day, Lupita was simply moved.
The design was beautiful, bold, and elegant, with a point of view. They had not played it safe, and it had paid off. She had found a new way to express herself without hair.
"It takes about 24 hours for the dye to really show up. And when it came in, in full contrast the next day, I was simply moved. It was beautiful. It was bold and elegant; it had a point of view. We had not played it safe, and it had paid off. And I had found a new way to express myself without hair!" she wrote.
Lupita's henna-adorned bald head has become a symbol of self-expression and cultural celebration.
She has encouraged her followers to dare themselves to seek out beauty in new ways and thanked Sabeena for bestowing on her the beauty of her hand and history.