We were lucky to catch up with Karyne Tinord recently and have shared our conversation below.

Karyne, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

One day in 2014, after losing everything I had like, home, work and boyfriend. I was sitting in an empty apartment, and hear God’s voice say” Let’s see if you can turn this hair into a bra”. I did not argue with the voice and question it, I just though, what do I have left to lose. I sat in silence and created the bra, not functional but looked so much like a bra. It motivated me to take my power back and lean on my skills to create a sense of sustainability for myself by braiding people hair. After 5 years in 2019, the idea of turning hair into wearable art came back and the rest was history. I just believed that I could and I took action,

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My artistic journey traces back to my childhood, where I delved into the world of drawing, poetry, and sculpting at PS 221 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. However, it was during my time at MS 391 in Junior High that I discovered a different form of expression—braiding. By high school (Sheepshead Bay) and college (York CUNY), I found myself braiding everyone’s hair, a skill that unexpectedly turned into a lifelong passion.

Fast forward to 2019, I decided to retire from braiding clients’ hair and focus on my artistic gifts. This marked the beginning of Kay de Trés, the House of Braids, where braid artists and enthusiasts converge to learn and explore better braid creativity. Within Kay de Trés, I’ve cultivated an environment that goes beyond braiding, allowing students to connect with various art forms and develop their creative expression. With my recent announcement of the Cornrows & Cornbread event series, I am able to spread awareness of painless braiding and creating a bonding thread among communities and cultures.

Beyond Kay de Trés, my impact extends through other endeavors. As the owner of Access Branded, LLC, I provide a voice and creativity to emerging brands, amplifying their presence through media. Additionally, my role as the founder of Yadestiny Treasure Chest, Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit, underscores my commitment to providing training and opportunities for youth in sustainable fashion and media. These ventures, rooted in my vast knowledge and influence, enable me to engage and deeply connect with students on art and creative expression, fostering a holistic approach to self-discovery and brand building. Through this multifaceted journey, I aim to inspire individuals to see the beauty in painless braiding and the limitless possibilities it holds for artistic expression.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What helped me to build my reputation within my market was my authenticity and openness to educate my clients about hair and braiding practices. My passion about painless braiding, created a safe and trust worthy environment for those who I braided or taught, which made them want more and tell others about me.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2020, during the lock down, licensed professionals like myself were not allowed to do hair, which in retrospect gave me time to rest but I still felt a duty to provide some assistance. so I launch am online series, “Beauty extended”, to share information and demos with the world on how to maintain their hair and beauty routines while away from their beauty professionals, which was very successful. By the the time we were able to return to duties, after 1 month I broke my ankle. I was again faced with a pivotal moment, so I decided to retire from braiding clients hair and focus on creating Braid Art and fine tune my 501(c) 3 nonprofit, Yadestiny Treasure Chest, inc (YTC) for assisting the youth with cultivation sustainable brands in fashion and media.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.KayDeTres.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekarynetinord/. , https://www.instagram.com/kaydetres/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karyne.tinord/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karynetinord/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KTinord

Image Credits
Tyler Jordan, Angie Vasquez, Vonecia Carswell, Jason Serrano and Dwight Duval