See What Over 40 Hours of Beading and Braiding Did for Solange on ‘SNL’

On Saturday night, Solange Knowles gave her first televised performance of music from her latest studio album A Seat at the Table. Appearing on Saturday Night Live, the younger Knowles made quite an impression on social media for the look she chose.

Weeks before her performance, Solange uploaded a mood board of sorts to Instagram, captioning it “Hero’s.” Among the chosen women on the collage were Diana Ross, the Supremes, Nina Simone and even older sister Beyoncé.

Onstage, those touch points manifested themselves into Solange’s beaded bodysuit and elaborate oversize earrings, custom designed by Erickson Beaman. Underneath the bodysuit, Solange donned an all-white set from La Perla lingerie. Although that look, styled by Jason Rembert, made an impression, it was something else that caught hold on social media.

In addition to the bodysuit, the “Cranes in the Sky” chanteuse wore an elaborate headdress. Social media users were quick to point out what it looked like: a dream catcher.

Solange Performs “Cranes in the Sky”

Instead, the piece was 40-plus hours of work. Shani Crowe not only braided Solange’s hair but also braided and beaded the elaborate piece especially for the performance. Makeup artist Dana Delaney gave the look its final polish with products from Make Up for Ever and Clinique, adding the perfect shine and glimmer to an already-goddesslike look.

Solange Peforms “Don’t Touch My Hair”