Source: Courtesy of LaTishaChong.com / LaTisha Chong
The entertainment and beauty world is mourning the loss of LaTisha Simone Chong, a young, talented and impactful hairstylist.
Chong passed away on July 19 at the age of 32 following a battle with cancer.
Her sister, Afesha Chong, shared with The New York Times that the hairstylist suffered from metastasized breast cancer.
The talent was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago until she moved to the United States at 6 years old with her family.
Chong grew up learning the skills that would later serve her while working in Flatbush, Brooklyn hair salons as the daughter of a part-time hairstylist.
She was 19 when she joined the Air Force and received an honorable medical discharge in 2014.
She is survived by her legacy and loved ones, including a 12-year-old son.
LaTisha Chong’s Impact
Chong’s celebrity clientele included Serena Williams, Tracee Ellis Ross, Ziwe, Rico Nasty, Tiffany Pollard, Timberland and Rosalia.
The hairstylist also worked with a number of high-profile models, including Paloma Elsesser, Precious Lee, Adut Akech and Aweng Chuol.
Her work was versatile and spanned several sectors, including fashion spreads, editorials and brand campaigns.
She served as Telfar’s first ever hair director and was listed among the British Fashion Council’s Top 50 New Wave Creatives in 2020.
Brands including Area, Revlon, Parade, and Tory Burch all utilized her talents. Additionally, Vogue, The Cut, i-D, Rolling Stone Mexico, Harper’s Baazar, and many more publications across the globe featured her hairstyling.
Speaking on Chong’s last project, styling Serena Williams’ hair for the September cover of Vogue, Afesha penned a lengthy message on her sister’s Instagram account.
“ASCENSION. The underlying theme in Vogue. September issue. While I will never be able to put words together as eloquently as her, my sister will be so proud of this moment,” Afesha shared. “She was excited about this cover, not because it was Vogue, but because of the figure of greatness that will be gracing its cover. Serena Williams.”
“LaTisha strategized for weeks about the execution, and the overall look and feel for Serena’s cover,” the sister detailed. “Ultimately, she did not want to disappoint our community. I can’t tell you how many times she would sit there disheartened by the lack of knowledge on the manipulation and maintenance of Black hair.”
“And finally, [thank you] @serenawilliams for looking past my sister’s disability and allowing her to perform her final act of greatness,” Afesha added. “She gave this one her all.”
