A TikTok-famous artist who turns her hair into sculptures shared stunning photos of her latest fashion campaign

• Laetitia Ky is an artist and activist from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, who makes incredible hair sculptures with her locs.
• Her gravity-defying sculptures, which can take up to three hours to create, have gained her TikTok stardom.
• Ky's artistry recently got the attention of Marc Jacobs, who asked her to promote three of the brand's new handbags.
• Ky told Insider she uses her hair sculptures and platform to promote African and Black pride, and that she wants to "help people not be afraid to express themselves."

Laetitia Ky is an Ivorian artist and activist who became an Instagram and TikTok star after she shared photos and videos of breathtaking hair sculptures that she creates with her locks.

Ky's sculptures are created using her own hair, but she also uses extensions, threads, and wires to shape them. Some sculptures are created in just 30 minutes, while others can take more than three hours.

Ky started making and documenting her hair sculptures in 2016

Ky told Insider that initially, she didn't plan to make the hair sculptures "her thing."

However, in 2017, a series of 12 photos she posted of her hair sculpted into the shape of hands got a lot of attention on social media.

"That's when I started to receive messages from Black women telling me that what I was doing was helping them to feel more confident and to feel better about their skin and their hair," she said. "That's when it became serious for me."

Ky recently got noticed by designer Marc Jacobs, who asked her to promote three of the brand's new handbags

Ky said the collaboration was a "dream come true," and that the brand let her style the bags however she wanted.

"It is always a big bonus when a client trusts you enough to let you do 'you,'" Ky said.

She added that she was touched when Jacobs told her that he was "in love" with her creations.

The photos from the campaign, which Ky shared via Instagram on July 23, show her hair styled in a variety of shapes, including a dog popping out of a tote bag, a hand holding a crossbody bag, and the letters "MJ" for Marc Jacobs.

Ky also uses her hair sculptures to empower women and advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement

I was born and raised in Africa, in Ivory Coast. And even if I always knew what racism was, it's only very late in my life that I was confronted to it. And again I lived it in its sweetest forms. Many times I have been afraid for my life because I am a woman, but never because I am black. But all over the world people who look like me die unjustly, are imprisoned unjustly, are mistreated, discriminated in all aspects of life just for their skin color. This does not happen only in the United States. Adama a young 24 year old man was killed in france by a police officer and his last words was the same as George Floyd "i cant breath"... Violence against black people, murder of my people happen in every non black country... enough is enough. I have big dream that go further than the borders of my country. Now im afraid to die while i will be abroad chasing my dream just cause im black. It shouldnt be one of my scare. I am a woman and i will never stop fighting for women rights BUT IM ALSO BLACK and from now i will fight like one. #BLACKLIVESMATTER

A post shared by KY (@laetitiaky) on Jun 2, 2020 at 11:38am PDTJun 2, 2020 at 11:38am PDT

Ky said that when she realized her hair art inspired others, she started using her platform to share messages that were meaningful to her.

"I started talking about my experience as an African woman in the world or my point of view about some subject," she said.

#internationalwomensday Latelyyyy ivorian women victims of rape are taking back their power by calling their rapist out publicly under the hashtag #jesuisunevictime. In a country where rape culture is the everyday lifestyle and where "feminist" is almost an insult i feel so proud and inspired by this progress. To all the women around the world, lets remember that no evolution is possible if WE DONT TALK. Even when you feel powerless in front of an injustice, remember that "speaking" is a powerful weapon and the beginning of everything.

A post shared by KY (@laetitiaky) on Mar 8, 2020 at 1:49am PSTMar 8, 2020 at 1:49am PST

She added that she wants her art to "promote African and Black pride."

Representatives for Marc Jacobs did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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