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Toriah Lachell has become a familiar name to basketball fans and beauty insiders alike. For many viewers who first spotted her courtside or on social media, she is the young mother often linked to one of the NBA’s brightest stars, but her story runs much deeper than a famous relationship. Today she is recognised in her own right as a skilled curl specialist, salon owner and hands-on parent living and working in the Boston area.
Toriah Lachell is a curl specialist and entrepreneur, founder of The Curl Bar Boston and former partner of NBA star Jayson Tatu.
In this biography, we look at how Toriah moved from a sporting childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, to building a respected business around natural curls in Boston, while co-parenting her son and handling the attention that comes with being linked to a Boston Celtics forward.
Who Is Toriah Lachell?
Toriah Lachell is an American hairstylist and entrepreneur best known as the founder and owner of The Curl Bar Boston, a salon dedicated to natural curls, coils and textured hair. She is also widely known as the former long-term partner of NBA forward Jayson Tatum, with whom she shares a son, Jayson “Deuce” Christopher Tatum Jr.
Although public interest initially focused on her relationship with a rising basketball star, Toriah has gradually carved out a separate identity. She has built a reputation as a certified curly hair expert with specialist training in several advanced cutting and styling methods, and as a small business owner who has turned a personal passion for natural hair into a full-time career.
Early Life and Background
Most sources agree that Toriah Lachell was born in February 2000 in St. Louis, Missouri, where she was raised by her mother, Julie Gibbs, and her stepfather, John Gibbs.Some profiles name 6 February as her birthday, while others suggest dates later in the month, so it is safest to say she was born in February 2000 rather than give a specific day.As of 2025, that places her in her mid-twenties.
Growing up in the St. Louis area, she attended McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri, where she was actively involved in sport, playing varsity soccer and also spending several years on the school’s softball teams.Alongside sport, she developed a creative streak, experimenting with her own hair and helping friends with their curls, something that would later turn into a profession.
After finishing school, Toriah moved to the Boston area, enrolling in a local cosmetology programme to formalise her skills and pursue professional hairstyling.That relocation marked the beginning of a new chapter away from Missouri and closer to the city where her future salon would eventually open.
Relationship With Jayson Tatum and Their Son
Toriah Lachell met Jayson Tatum as a teenager. Various accounts describe them as high-school sweethearts from St. Louis: she attended McCluer North, while he starred for nearby Chaminade College Preparatory School.Their relationship developed during these formative years as Tatum’s basketball profile grew and university and NBA opportunities opened up for him.
In December 2017, the couple welcomed their son, Jayson “Deuce” Christopher Tatum Jr., a moment that brought even more public attention to Toriah as fans became curious about the young mother often seen supporting the player and their child.Deuce has since become a familiar figure to basketball viewers in his own right, regularly appearing at games and media events alongside his father.
Although Toriah and Jayson later ended their romantic relationship, most reputable reports suggest that they maintain a cooperative co-parenting arrangement focused on giving Deuce a stable upbringing and a strong connection with both sides of his family.Toriah is understood to be private about her current personal life, preferring to keep the focus on her son and her work.
Building a Career as a Curl Specialist and Entrepreneur
Long before The Curl Bar Boston opened its doors, Toriah had already been experimenting with curls. She has spoken about learning to care for her own natural hair and then practising on friends and family, gradually realising that there was a demand for stylists who truly understood textured hair.
After relocating to Boston, she attended cosmetology school and then invested in specialist training programmes focused on curls. She went on to gain certification as a DevaCurl stylist, became a Cut It Kinky alumna and trained in the Rezo Cut method – three well-known systems designed specifically for shaping and styling curly hair.This combination of general hairdressing education and niche curl expertise helped her build a reputation among clients with natural textures who often struggled to find stylists who understood their hair.
Working first in other salons, then independently, Toriah focused on creating personalised haircuts, hydration-focused treatments and styling routines that could be maintained at home. Her approach balances technical precision with education, encouraging clients to understand their curl pattern, product needs and realistic styling habits.This groundwork eventually gave her the confidence to launch her own space.
The Curl Bar Boston and Her Approach to Natural Hair
Around 2021, Toriah Lachell opened The Curl Bar Boston, a salon located in Somerville, Massachusetts, just outside central Boston.The salon markets itself as a dedicated “curl space” where all textures are welcomed and where clients can expect dry curl cuts designed around their lifestyle, alongside treatments focused on moisture and curl definition.
Rather than trying to be a generalist hairdressing business, The Curl Bar Boston deliberately centres people with curls, coils and waves who may have had poor salon experiences in the past. Descriptions of the space emphasise a safe, judgement-free environment and a commitment to leaving clients not only styled but educated about how to look after their hair between appointments.
Behind the scenes, Toriah balances her time between hands-on styling, managing bookings, mentoring junior stylists and developing educational content such as curl-care courses under The Curl Bar brand.She does this while raising Deuce and coordinating parenting responsibilities with his father, a combination that underlines the dual roles many working parents juggle.
Life in the Public Eye, Social Media and Independence
Because of her connection to a prominent player, Toriah Lachell’s life has attracted more media attention than most small business owners might expect. Early coverage often framed her primarily as Jayson Tatum’s ex-girlfriend or “baby mama”, but as time has passed, more profiles have focused on her professional journey and the success of The Curl Bar Boston.
On social media, particularly Instagram, she has maintained a noticeable presence through her @hairbytoriahlachell account and The Curl Bar Boston’s salon page. There she shares before-and-after shots, curl transformations and glimpses of salon life, along with occasional photos of her son.While her following is modest compared with many celebrity influencers, her audience is highly targeted: people who genuinely care about curl education and natural hair.
Crucially, Toriah has used visibility from the NBA world as a springboard rather than a crutch. Most current reports describe her as independent, private and focused on her own brand, with her identity now rooted far more in her work as a curl specialist and salon owner than in her past relationship.
Net Worth, Lifestyle and Future Plans (Without Clickbait)
Because Toriah Lachell keeps her finances private, estimates of her net worth vary significantly between online sources. Some websites suggest figures in the mid-six-figure range, while others place her wealth closer to one or two million US dollars, and a few outliers claim even higher numbers.None of these estimates are officially confirmed, so they should be treated as speculative rather than definitive.
What is clearer is where her income is likely to come from. The Curl Bar Boston appears to be her main source of earnings, through salon services, specialist curl cuts and treatments. Several profiles also mention educational offerings such as The Curl Bar Curl Course: Case Study, suggesting an additional revenue stream from training people to care for their curls at home, and possibly from mentoring other stylists.
Looking ahead, realistic future plans for someone in Toriah’s position could include expanding The Curl Bar brand to a larger premises, opening a second location, or growing the educational side through online courses, workshops or collaborations with product companies that focus on textured hair. Given her existing certifications and emphasis on education, it would not be surprising to see her become even more involved in teaching and mentoring within the curl community, while continuing to prioritise a balanced life as both entrepreneur and mother.
Conclusion
For many people, Toriah Lachell first appeared on their radar as the high-school sweetheart and co-parent of an NBA star. Over time, however, she has steadily moved from the supporting cast of someone else’s story to the foreground of her own, establishing herself as a respected curl specialist and the driving force behind The Curl Bar Boston.
Her journey from sporty teenager in St. Louis to entrepreneur in Boston shows how personal passion, technical training and a clear sense of purpose can combine into a sustainable career. At the same time, her commitment to giving Deuce a grounded upbringing and maintaining a cooperative co-parenting relationship reflects a focus on family that goes beyond headlines and social media.
Today, Toriah Lachell is recognised not just for who she once dated, but for the curl-focused business she has built, the safe space she offers clients with textured hair, and the way she continues to balance motherhood with professional ambition.