Braids, Beads & The Beautiful Game: Hair Artist Kayra Theodore Brings Culture To Brooklyn’s World Cup Celebration

On a dewy Friday afternoon, thousands gathered beneath the Brooklyn Bridge as pre-rush hour traffic zoomed overhead. Stepping into adidas Home of Soccer—a sprawling 25,000-square-foot activation—you’re greeted by a cheering crowd reacting to Norway v. France on the big screen. This is Brooklyn’s official FIFA World Cup 2026 fan zone—which runs from June 13 to July 19—one of five free fan experiences for every New York City borough. Venturing deeper into the open-air World Cup celebration, renowned hair artist Kayra Theodore is in her element, braiding away, as a featured artist with adidas Stripes Exchange, a section dedicated to art and fashion at the heart of soccer culture.

Kayra, known for her exquisite, sculptural hairstyles—was on site for the June 26th edition of adidas Home of Soccer, offering custom flag bead braiding so fans could wear their heritage and team colors with pride. Her installation felt cozy, like a piece of home. Her Haitian flags were up, adorning the artist’s personal corner of the festival overlooking Lower Manhattan just across the East River.

We chat about soccer and growing up Haitian-American. She described the air of excitement she and her family felt as they witnessed Haiti’s long-anticipated return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974—an undeniable, historic moment for Haitian fans everywhere.

“We were absolutely excited. My family always loved soccer, but to have the home team, you know what I mean, you’re going to support ten times harder. So we were living for that.”

Be yourself

Growing up at the edge of Queens in Elmont, New York, Kayra’s experience shaped her thesis as a creative. Fitting in was important to her Haitian-born parents—mainly achieved through appearance and visual identity.

“It’s interesting, because even when I went into spaces being the only Black girl, I didn’t fit in at all. So it’s like, you could try so hard to dress the part, but I still stuck out. So I still carry that, in a sense, where it’s like: okay, it’s not about trying to fit in, it’s about being yourself.”

“I leaned into expressing myself uniquely, and through hair, that was the way that I found my passion. It’s like, I’m not going to wear just whatever hairstyle to ‘fit in’—I’m going to express myself however I want to show up, whether it’s simple or extravagant.”

Extravagant, gravity-defying, and avant-garde are all words used to describe Kayra’s hair artistry, which echoes both heritage and futurism. Her portfolio of styles embodies her fine-tuned aesthetic—geometric yet whimsical. She conjures intricate, inimitable showpieces fit for a museum collection. Along with the refined technique of it all, there is a playfulness to her art.

“I think for me, finding my space in hair artistry—it’s like, okay, I can express myself, I can show people where I come from. I can tell my story through this medium that I’ve grown to love, and that I’m good at.”

Where sports, fashion, and culture meet

Her hair installation at adidas Home of Soccer showcases yet another dimension to Kayra. Approached by adidas for the World Cup celebration, the artist understood the assignment.

“Okay, I have to marry hair, culture, and sports—specifically soccer. I realized that, for example, with the braid, you intertwine three separate braids to make one braid. With sports, even though you come from different backgrounds and cultures, or teams, you still come together to celebrate. That’s the connecting factor.”

Ever the curious artist, and not one to be confined to a single lane, Kayra is perfectly at home where sports, fashion, and culture meet.

“I wasn’t doing anything in the sports realm, to be so honest—like, I wasn’t collaborating with sports brands—but I love that adidas saw something. I want to keep showing up in spaces where it’s unexpected. I would love to keep pushing it in the sports realm, for sure.”

In Kayra’s world, there’s no shortage of inspiration. 

“I take from nature, I take from emotions, I take from whatever I’m going through. I take from other people wanting to collaborate: how can I find myself in this project and help elevate it through my lens?”