Hagen, Kevin Freelance NYDN/Freelance, NYDN
Titi Branch, the 45-year-old Queens native who rose to prominence with her Soho hair salon and line of popular Miss Jessie products, is dead.
Branch died on Dec. 4 of an apparent suicide, according to an obituary in NV Magazine.
Her sister Miko Branch, who co-operated Miss Jessie's salon, seemed to acknowledge the loss Sunday morning with a simple tweet of her sister's name with a heart next to it.
The Twitter feed for Miss Jessie's salon has been silent for last two days except for a single message 'Titi! posted Sunday morning.
The Miss Jessie's products, named for the sisters' beloved grandmother, helped set the standard in the natural hair care industry.
Born to African-American and Japanese parents, the sisters searched for healthy ways to style their curly hair.
Hagen, Kevin Freelance NYDN/Freelance, NYDN
Branch enjoyed breakthrough success when her formulas such as Curly Meringue, Curly Buttercreme and Baby Buttercreme were picked up and sold at Target, Wal-Mart and other major chain drug stores.
Described as a book-smart tomboy, Titi Branch grew up thinking she would become a reporter, according to her biography on her company's website.
After a stint as a field producer on WABC-TV, Branch started her own business representing celebrity photographers.
In 1997, she and Miko opened Curve Salon in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. They later renamed it for their grandmother, Jessie Mae Pittman. lcolangelo@nydailynews.com
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