Saturday night, Doechii took center stage at Billboard’s Women in Music event, radiating her signature power and grace as she accepted the Woman of the Year award.
Known for her head-to-toe glam and dynamic performances—Doechii consistently inspires others to embrace fun and creativity in their own looks.
The latest addition to her style repertoire? Microbraids swept into a relaxed updo, with a few strands framing her face effortlessly. There was something undeniably Y2K and nostalgic about her hair, paired with a sheer black dress and a mini shoulder bag. It was almost as though she was plucked from a scene in a teen dramedy, where the “it-girl” saunters down the stairs at a party as “Long Way 2 Go” by Cassie plays in the background.
Those chic, teensy-weensy braids were the work of Evalyn Denis, a fellow Florida native and versatile hair stylist now based in Los Angeles. Denis has built a reputation as a go-to stylist for stunning, intricate braids, but her creativity doesn’t stop there. She’s an artist whose work has graced icons like Beyoncé, Solange, and Tems, as well as prominent beauty influencers like Toni Bravo and Alissa Ashley. While braids will always hold a special place in her portfolio, she’s skilled in doing it all.
Throughout Doechii’s braiding session, she could take in the sprawling city below through panoramic windows that wrap around the Denis’ loft highrise studio. But, it’s not just the view that draws you in—it’s the atmosphere. The space sparks conversation and radiates warmth and elegance—thanks to artwork, unique furniture pieces, and vintage gems.
Below, Denis shares the creative process behind bringing Doechii’s braids to life for her Woman of the Year honor—which was their first collaboration, along with a glimpse into her personal journey of finding her groove as a multidimensional hair stylist in Los Angeles.
ESSENCE: Can you walk us through the creative process of creating Doechii’s look?
Evalyn Denis: The creative process involved her and I. She’s very chill. We hopped on a phone call, and then we were sending voice notes back and forth, which was very cool because, usually, I’m going through multiple people to get an idea of what the client would like. But with Doechii, she just hopped on a text with me and sent me inspo. She kept saying, “tiny, tiny, tiny.” I was like, “Yeah, we can take it there if that’s where you wanna go.” Hearing that in a voice note and then her sending it back with laughter, I was like, “Oh yeah, we’re locked in.”
What was the main inspiration?
ED: Our main inspo was really Brandy from back in the day—Moesha vibes. That classic, layered microbraid look from the ’90s was our starting point. We decided to make the layers a bit longer since Doechii’s natural hair is pretty long. I also made the braids extra tiny and added my own twist with a textured cut. It wasn’t showcased, though, because we decided to put her hair up in a bun ‘cause we thought that would be very sexy. But you’ll see it eventually.
I loved how there were those few strands framing the face. There’s just something effortlessly sensual and breezy about leaving a couple of strands out, whether it’s braids or another style.
ED: It gives a more lived in feel and it’s like, we’re not trying too hard, we’re taking it there but subtly.
How long did the braids take?
ED: We started around 7 a.m. on the first day and finished around midnight, taking breaks for lunch and dinner—about an hour each. The second day, she came over at 8 a.m., and we were done by noon.
What did it feel like seeing your work on the carpet and as Doechii gave her acceptance speech?
ED: Oh my god, it was amazing. I’ve been clocking her forever, and since I’m from Florida too, I was just so excited to see someone from Tampa come out here and really fuck it up. She took everyone by storm. Her speech was beautiful—she has such great energy. Seeing my work on stage was really nice. And of course, Je’Ne (Braids by Saisquoi) helped me with it. She’s one of my close collaborators when it comes to microbraids.
Can you paint a picture of what the vibe is like when someone’s getting their hair done by you?
ED: We’re listening to music the majority of the time. I start the day with instrumental music—classical jazz, funk jazz, or Spanish jazz, which has this sexy, smooth vibe. Then, as the morning goes on, I’ll switch it up to something like Khruangbin or Bon Iver, since it’s still early. I typically start at 7 a.m. with my clients, so I ease into it. As the day progresses, I’ll add in artists like Ari Lennox or Lauryn Hill. I like to mix it up a lot, and people are always Shazam’ing the songs, which I think is amazing.
By the end of it, people are probably a bit overwhelmed by all the different genres, but I think it’s cool to show different sides of your personality. I’m Haitian, so I’ll throw some Caribbean music in there too. I love when people are Shazaming songs they don’t understand but they still feel the vibe.
When you reflect on what’s been part of your secret sauce, what comes to mind?
ED: It comes down to humanity and treating everyone equally. A lot of people are enamored with celebrities, but I treat all my clients like a sister, cousin, or bestie. The studio is a place to just be yourself, relax, and have a down-to-earth experience. It’s like a girls’ day where you can literally and figuratively let your hair down, knowing it’s a safe space where everything stays there. That sense of trust and normalcy has been key to my journey as a transplant from Florida, without an agency, here in Los Angeles.
