He braided the trophy in. What would you charge?
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Video: @sandrasbraids on Instagram · Braids by @sandrasbraids · Fade by @earsthebarber
On October 20, the Knicks opened the season against the 76ers at Madison Square Garden and celebrated their 2026 championship with a ring ceremony and banner raising. It was the franchise's first title in 53 years. Josh Hart walked in with cornrows shaped into the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The Knicks lost the game 106 to 100. The hair won the night.
PEOPLE credits the design to Sandra Finn, the Houston Braid Artist behind @sandrasbraids and one of Hart's go-to stylists.
A trophy eight years in the making
Finn has been putting team pride into cornrows for a long time. In 2018, ABC13 and Click2Houston profiled her as the stylist behind Houston Rockets guard Gerald Green's designer braids. She braided a big "R" during the Rockets' playoff run and a star for the Astros, and Green also asked for Astros and Oilers designs. Back then she told both stations she hoped to braid the championship trophy into his head if the Rockets made the Finals. They did not get there.
Hart picked up the style from Green. Essence reports that Hart first saw the taper fade with stylized braids on top on Green, and that the NY and NYK logo look started with Finn, his Houston stylist. On Ring Night, she finally got to braid the trophy.
His barber, @earsthebarber, cut the fade and credited Finn in his own post. In June, Finn told The New York Times that working with athletes like Hart is unique because the hairstyle is part of their personal brand, as PEOPLE reported. She said there is a lot of pressure to get the design right, and that the work lets her show braiding as art on a larger stage.
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Photo: @earsthebarber on Instagram
The New York chair: Shanna Alexander
Hart splits his time between Texas and New York, so he has more than one Braid Artist. Essence profiled Shanna Alexander, who has braided his hair since he was traded to the Knicks in 2023. She put the NYK logo in his braids for the Finals and has also added hearts and stars. She told Essence that she and Hart build each design together and meet in the middle.
Alexander also braids Knicks teammates Ariel Hukporti and Jose Alvarado, plus Jordyn Woods. For hold and definition she uses a lightweight gel, beeswax and alcohol-free products, with leave-in conditioner, heat protectant and oils for moisture and finish. She trims Hart about three times a season to support healthy growth and length retention.
Hart said the New York designs are his way of showing love to a city that has embraced him. Over the years he has worn an "NY" logo, an "I heart NY" design and the interlocking Yankees "NY," which SI spotted during a 2023 playoff game against Cleveland.
How a custom cornrow design gets planned
A logo or trophy in cornrows is a drawing done in parts. The parts are the lines. Most design Braid Artists follow a similar path:
- Start with a reference. The client sends a clear image of the logo or object. Simple outlines read better in hair than fine detail.
- Check the canvas. Hair length, density and the size of the area set what is possible. In 2018 ABC13 reported that Finn's designs for Green needed about three to four inches of hair.
- Map the parts first. The artist sketches the outline with a rat-tail comb and adjusts until the shape is balanced before braiding a single row.
- Braid the outline, then the fill. The shape gets braided first. The surrounding rows follow its curves so the design stands out.
- Coordinate with the barber. On fade-and-braid looks, the cut frames the design. Hart's Ring Night look was a two-person job.
Time varies with the design and the hair. In 2018 ABC13 reported that Finn's designs took about an hour, while Click2Houston put it at about two and a half hours.
Wearing it well: aftercare for design cornrows
Design cornrows on short hair show frizz fast, and the clean lines are the whole point. Click2Houston reported that Green came back every 7 to 10 days. Clients can stretch the look with a few habits:
- Sleep in a satin or silk scarf or durag to protect the lines.
- Keep the scalp moisturized with a light oil and skip heavy product that builds up in the parts.
- Do not scratch or pick at the design. Ask your Braid Artist about a scalp soothing routine instead.
- Book the takedown and the next appointment before you leave the chair.
Pricing the art
There is no standard price for a trophy. Most design Braid Artists price by complexity, time and hair length, and quote after seeing a reference. The best published benchmark for Finn is old: in 2018 ABC13 reported she charged $75 for designs in the shop and $200 or more for freelance jobs, like going to the arena. That gap shows how travel, timing and access change the price. Many artists also charge a deposit and a design consult, and price event-day work higher because the date cannot move.
THE BRAIDINGFEST ANGLE
Custom design work like this is art, and art is priced differently. A trophy, a logo or a skyline takes planning, sketching and steady hands that a standard cornrow price doesn't cover.
- Price custom designs as a separate service, not an add-on.
- Charge a design consultation fee and credit it toward the service.
- Ask clients for a clear reference image and the event date when they book.
- Charge more for on-location and event-day work. Your travel and your calendar have value.
- Post your process, not just the finish. That's what builds a celebrity-level portfolio.
Sources: PEOPLE via Yahoo Sports · ClutchPoints · Tixel · Essence · ABC13 · Click2Houston · Sports Illustrated
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