Hairstylist Vernon François Joins Tech Company Behind ‘The World’s First Braid-Assist Device’ For Professionals As An Expert Advisor And Creative Engineer – AfroTech
Vernon François is bringing his expertise to a tech company poised to disrupt the hairstyling industry for the better.
The British-born, Los Angeles-based hairstylist told AFROTECH™ he was 8 years old when he learned to braid hair. This nurtured a greater understanding and appreciation of the “time, precision, care and physical endurance” required. He now has more than 30 years of experience working with textured hair, with clients including Lupita Nyong’o, Iman, Serena Williams, Teyana Taylor, Venus Williams, Willow Smith, and Solange Knowles, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™.
“I taught myself how to work with and braid hair from the age of eight, spending over 17 years working on the salon floor, where I gained hands-on experience with various hair types and styling techniques. My work across editorial shoots, educational platforms, entertainment projects, and product development provided me with an instinctive understanding of both the artistry and the physical realities of working with hair,” François said.
François’ value has extended beyond clients to top beauty companies, assisting with product innovation, education, creative direction, and storytelling. He’s also the founder of an award-winning haircare brand and is an ambassador for several companies in the hair care industry, such as Olaplex and Amika.
Joining Halo
In a full-circle moment that echoes his early start, François will join a company embracing technology to make hair braiding more efficient and less taxing for hairstylists. He joins Halo, a tech company founded by biomechanical engineer Yinka Ogunbiyi. Its inaugural patent-pending product, HaloBraid, is marketed as “the world’s first braid-assist device for professional stylists” and is designed to help hairstylists complete a braid style five times faster, according to the press release.
Ogunbiyi recently raised a $7 million seed round led by Alexis Ohanian’s venture capital firm, Seven Seven Six, with participation from AlleyCorp and Bling Capital, to bring the device to market in 2026, as previously reported by AFROTECH™.
François will serve as Halo’s expert advisor and the company’s first creative engineer. Ogunbiyi said the company is “thrilled” to collaborate with François and affirmed his expertise as a professional stylist best suited to consider the “needs and dreams of the client.”
“We have a shared mission of celebrating the complexities, artistry, and beauty of all hair textures,” Ogunbiyi said in the press release.
Specifically, François views the title of creative engineer as an accurate reflection of his contributions to the industry, particularly in terms of creativity, functionality, and human experience, he told AFROTECH ™. He will be tasked with connecting engineering with all aspects of haircare including the artistry as well as the client in the chair. This will encompass advising on performance metrics, such as speed, precision, ergonomics, movement, grip, and clip design.
“One of the greatest successes has been the genuine exchange between engineering and artistry,” he shared with AFROTECH ™. “Engineers are trained to examine, manipulate and anticipate even the smallest possibilities within a system—often considering minute variables that most people would never recognize. Hair, however, is a living and deeply unpredictable material, and Afro hair, in particular, can respond differently depending on its pattern, density, porosity, length, condition, and even the environment surrounding it.”
He continued, “A significant part of my role is aligning the precision of engineering with that unpredictability. I bring an intimate understanding of what hair can and may do—sometimes before it manifests—by studying various curl patterns, porosity levels, and how different styling products affect the hair’s behavior. I also consider factors like scalp health and environmental influences such as humidity and temperature. The engineering team, in turn, translates those possibilities into mechanics, movement, and intelligent design, ensuring the technology supports natural hair behaviors.”
François will also be responsible for ensuring alignment between the visual identity and brand values, as well as prioritize education and improve the user experience.
He said he is excited about his work with Halo, as it provides a solution that will not replace the work of an artist but instead support and expand their capabilities.
“Across almost every other discipline within the hair industry, tools and products have been developed to ease the process, improve efficiency, support commercial growth and create a healthier experience for both the stylist and the client,” François said. “The braiding category, however, has largely existed without that same level of meaningful technological innovation.”
He added, “That absence creates an incredibly exciting opportunity to become curious: to explore what else may be possible and introduce new choices without diminishing the artistry, heritage, or value of the hands that have carried the practice forward. The possibility of creating more time for creativity, education, and meaningful client communication—while reducing physical strain, protecting the stylist’s body and supporting a more sustainable business—is what makes this technology so significant to me.”
