Toriah Lachell, also known professionally as Toriah Mimms, is an American hairstylist, curl specialist and owner of The Curl Bar, a natural-hair salon in Somerville, Massachusetts. She is also known as the former girlfriend of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and the mother of their son, Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr., better known as Deuce.
While her connection to Tatum introduced her to many basketball fans, Lachell has developed her own career in the beauty industry. Her salon, which specialises in curly and textured hair, was named Best Natural Hair Salon in Boston Magazine’s 2026 Best of Boston awards.
Key takeaways
- Toriah Lachell is a hairstylist and salon owner who also uses the professional name Toriah Mimms.
- She previously dated Jayson Tatum. Their relationship was documented during his high-school basketball career.
- She is the mother of Deuce Tatum, born on December 6, 2017, during his father’s first NBA season.
- She established The Curl Bar around 2021, specialising in natural curls, personalised haircuts and hair-care education.
- Her salon received Boston Magazine’s 2026 Best Natural Hair Salon award, recognising its specialist approach to curly hair.
Toriah Lachell profile summary
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Public name | Toriah Lachell |
| Professional name | Toriah Mimms |
| Occupation | Hairstylist, curl specialist and salon owner |
| Business | The Curl Bar |
| Business location | Somerville, Massachusetts, United States |
| Professional training | Cosmetology education; self-reported DevaCurl and Rezo Cut certifications |
| Former partner | Jayson Tatum |
| Child | Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr. (Deuce), born December 6, 2017 |
| Professional recognition | The Curl Bar — Boston Magazine’s Best Natural Hair Salon, 2026 |
Her relationship with Jayson Tatum
Toriah Lachell and Jayson Tatum knew each other during their teenage years in St. Louis, Missouri. Tatum attended Chaminade College Preparatory School, where he was becoming one of the country’s most closely watched young basketball prospects.
Their relationship was documented well before Tatum entered the NBA. In an April 2015 Sports Illustrated profile, journalist Joan Niesen identified Lachell as Tatum’s girlfriend while reporting on his college recruitment.
Tatum subsequently attended Duke University before the Boston Celtics selected him in the 2017 NBA draft.
That same year, Lachell and Tatum became parents.
Their son, Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr., was born on December 6, 2017, during Tatum’s rookie season with Boston. He became widely known by his nickname, Deuce, and later became a familiar presence at Celtics games.
According to PEOPLE’s profile of Deuce Tatum, the couple met during their high-school years. The publication also documents their son’s birth and his growing public presence alongside his father.
Lachell and Tatum eventually ended their romantic relationship. The precise timing of their separation has not been firmly established, and the two were never publicly confirmed to have married.
In September 2026, PEOPLE continued to identify Lachell as Tatum’s former girlfriend.
Their shared parenthood remains the central publicly documented connection between them. Sports Illustrated described their co-parenting relationship positively in a February 2021 feature, although that historical account does not establish the details of their current private arrangements.
The story behind Deuce’s name
In May 2026, Tatum shared an additional detail about his son’s birth during an appearance on Craig Melvin’s Glass Half Full podcast.
According to TODAY’s account of the interview, Tatum said he and Lachell had originally considered naming their son Jackson.
He explained that his preference changed after Deuce was born. Seeing his newborn son prompted him to choose Jayson Tatum Jr. instead.
Tatum also recalled that Lachell wanted a nickname so they would not both be calling father and son Jayson.
The account offers a glimpse into a decision the former couple made as young parents, although it reflects Tatum’s recollection rather than a separate statement from Lachell.
How Toriah Lachell became a hairstylist
Lachell’s professional interests developed from her own experience learning to care for natural hair.
In her official biography on The Curl Bar website, she explains that she received hair relaxer treatments when she was younger. Relaxers are chemical treatments used to straighten naturally curly or textured hair.
As she grew older, she began learning how to manage and appreciate her natural hair texture.
The experience eventually developed into an interest in helping other people understand their curls.
On her salon website, she explains:
> My love for hair began with learning to accept, embrace, and love my own!
Lachell says that after learning to care for her own hair and helping others, she decided to attend cosmetology school.
Her professional training gave her a foundation in hair care and styling, while her continuing education focused on techniques designed for naturally curly and textured hair.
According to her published biography, she has completed DevaCurl and Rezo Cut certification programmes and is a Cut It Kinky alumna.
These approaches involve specialised techniques for working with curls and different hair textures. Rather than treating every client’s hair in the same way, they emphasise understanding curl patterns, shaping hair and helping clients maintain their results.
Lachell discussed her career development in a March 27, 2021 episode of The Glow Up Effect, titled Glow Up Your Natural Hair with Curl Expert Toriah Lachell.
The episode’s published description identifies her as a Boston-based certified curl stylist and salon owner. The conversation covered her entry into hairstyling, professional confidence, continuing education and misconceptions about curly-hair care.
Her experience learning to manage her own hair remains a central part of how she explains her professional approach.
The Curl Bar: Her natural-hair salon
Lachell established The Curl Bar around 2021, developing a business focused on people with naturally curly and textured hair.
The salon operates in Somerville, Massachusetts, near Boston.
Its services are built around individual hair needs, including curl patterns, hair condition and styling preferences.
According to The Curl Bar’s official service descriptions, its offerings include dry curly cuts, hydration treatments, styling and personalised curl education.
A dry curly cut involves shaping hair while it is dry, allowing the stylist to consider how individual curls naturally fall and form.
This differs from conventional cutting methods that often involve wetting and straightening the hair before shaping it.
The salon also incorporates guidance into its appointments, helping clients understand how to care for their curls between visits.
That educational element reflects Lachell’s own account of having to learn how to manage her natural hair.
Teaching clients and other stylists
The Curl Bar’s work extends into hair-care education.
Its official education programme advertises private training for licensed cosmetologists and cosmetology students.
The four-hour sessions cover subjects such as assessing curls, cleansing and conditioning techniques, styling and shaping textured hair.
The salon also advertises a Curl Confidence Workshop intended for organisations and community groups.
These programmes show how the business presents curl education as part of its professional services, alongside appointments for cutting and styling.
The Curl Bar’s published materials establish the availability of these offerings, although they do not provide independently documented participation figures or training outcomes.
Business growth and community involvement
The Curl Bar’s development can be traced through its early public activity and local coverage.
In May 2023, the salon celebrated its second anniversary with a neighbourhood block party in Somerville.
According to The Somerville Times, the event took place on May 21, 2023, and highlighted other small, minority-owned businesses in the community.
The gathering provided an example of how Lachell used her business to participate in local events beyond regular salon appointments.
Municipal records also identify Toriah Mimms as an applicant for a public-event licence connected with The Curl Bar in 2024.
The city approved that application, documenting her involvement in organising another local event, although the approval alone does not establish whether the planned gathering took place.
The Curl Bar’s 2026 Best of Boston award
A significant professional development came in 2026 when Boston Magazine selected The Curl Bar as its Best Natural Hair Salon.
The publication’s 2026 Best of Boston award listing identifies Toriah Mimms as the owner and highlights the salon’s approach to caring for natural curls.
The recognition provides independent acknowledgment of the specialised work Lachell has developed through her business.
It also marks a later stage in a documented professional progression that began with her own natural-hair experience, continued through cosmetology training and developed into a salon serving curly-haired clients.
The award recognises the salon’s work within Boston Magazine’s annual programme. It does not establish the business’s revenue or financial value.
What is Toriah Lachell doing now?
As of October 12, 2026, Toriah Lachell continues to be identified as the owner of The Curl Bar in Somerville.
The salon’s official website lists her professional services and advertises appointments with her, alongside its curl-care and educational offerings.
Her most recent independently documented professional recognition is The Curl Bar’s 2026 Best of Boston award.
Although many readers first encounter her name through Jayson Tatum and their son Deuce, Lachell’s public career has developed around a different field: helping people understand, cut and care for naturally curly hair.
The Curl Bar’s ongoing services, professional training offerings and recognition by Boston Magazine provide the clearest picture of her work today.
