Megan Thee Stallion finally got her wings, and her stylist got her hair runway-ready
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Photo: @kellonderyck on Instagram · Hair by Kellon Deryck, assist @theadreanascott
Megan Thee Stallion has been asking for this moment for years. On Sunday, October 18, she got it: she closed the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, performing "Her" and "Body" in silver wings.
On the pink carpet, she said she had been tweeting about it since she was about 14. She called the night full circle. Her hair came from Kellon Deryck, the stylist behind many of her biggest hair moments.
What happened
The show returned to the Los Angeles area for the first time since 2007, according to Atlanta Black Star. The music lineup was all women: Tate McRae, KATSEYE, Megan Moroney and Megan Thee Stallion, who closed it. Her set ran right before Kylie Jenner's runway debut, Revolt reported. Models Daiane Sodré and Paloma Elsesser walked during her performance.
She announced the booking in late September with a post that her dream had finally come true. She told fans to tune in to watch her get her wings.
The two looks
For the pink carpet, Megan wore a custom crystal gown by Walter Mendez with a plunging neckline and a matching pink feather boa. Her hair was long blonde waves. Red Carpet Fashion Awards writer Catherine Kallon said she could not find a single thing to fault. Kallon credited stylists Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald for the fashion.
For the runway, she changed into a lace bra top, a black thong, sparkling stockings and metallic silver wings, according to Cosmopolitan and Page Six coverage summarized by Hot 100.9.
The VS show landed in the middle of her rollout for MEGAN ACT III, which does not have a release date yet. She has been dropping "Tina Tuesday" freestyles along the way, HotNewHipHop reported.
Who built the hair
Deryck posted the look on his Instagram, crediting an assist from @theadreanascott. He is the stylist behind Megan's hair across magazine covers, music videos and campaigns, according to a Native Son profile. Other clients have included Taraji P. Henson, Missy Elliott, Keyshia Cole and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.
His path is a classic salon ladder. He told Essence he started in high school as a shampoo assistant, swept floors and assisted senior stylists. His first canvas was his own hair: fades, twists and color experiments. He knew he was meant to do hair, he said, when he first watched a client look in the mirror and light up.
He is known for sleek, sculpted work, from pixie cuts to long glam waves, built to flatter bone structure. In December 2025, TV One covered his eight courtroom looks for Megan, from double French rolls to a 1990s R&B-inspired ponytail. He described that work as storytelling. And in 2021, The Zoe Report covered a rare natural-hair moment, a curly updo with styled baby hairs, that he said he expected Megan to fight him on.
The technique: what sits under glam waves
Most long, high-volume glam looks like this are built on extensions, a wig or a sew-in. The press coverage does not say exactly what Megan wore, so we won't guess. But for clients chasing a similar finish, the foundation matters as much as the waves.
- The braid-down. A flat, even cornrow base lets a wig or sew-in lie smooth. Bulky or uneven braids show through as lumps. Ask your stylist how they plan the pattern for your hairline and part.
- Blonde with intention. Bright blonde reads best when the shade suits the skin tone and the root or lace blends. Ask for a consultation on tone before color day.
- Hold that lasts. Deryck told Essence he relies on a strong-hold adhesive that stands up to bright lights and long shifts. For everyday wear, ask your stylist how to remove any adhesive gently.
- Time. A braid-down plus a custom unit install and styling can take several hours. Book enough time so nothing is rushed.
Care and maintenance
Deryck pushes back on the idea that protective styles need no upkeep. He told Essence that scalp care and hydration still matter under wigs and braids. His rule is consistency over complexity: regular trims, moisture and heat protection.
- Treat the scalp like skin, as Deryck puts it: cleanse, hydrate, protect.
- Take the unit off on a regular schedule so you can clean and moisturize the braids underneath.
- Use heat protectant before curling the waves, on the unit and on any leave-out.
- Do not leave a braid-down in too long. Ask your stylist when to redo it.
THE BRAIDINGFEST ANGLE
The install under every glam look is the foundation, often braids. Deryck's path from shampoo assistant to the VS carpet is the same ladder every Braid Artist is on.
- Treat the braid-down under a wig or sew-in as its own skilled service, and price it that way.
- Show the before, the base and the finish. Clients book foundations they can see.
- Teach upkeep at checkout. A client who cares for her scalp under the unit comes back healthier and books again.
- Assist bigger stylists. The credit line on an assistant post can change a career.
Sources: Red Carpet Fashion Awards via Yahoo · Essence · Revolt · Atlanta Black Star · Hot 100.9 · HotNewHipHop · Native Son · TV One · The Zoe Report
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