A Pointed Trend

Ballet core is on trend, from bodysuits, to tights, to leg warmers. Despite it being spring and summer, layering winter accessories such as leg warmers is in. Bodysuits have had a revival, which could be partially contributed to the rise of Kim Kardashian’s brand Skims. Tight fitting first layers are an attractive element of this trend, taking the guesswork out of getting dressed. Ballet flats, Mary Janes, and Miu Miu tabi shoes are forecasted to be worn widely with ankle socks (bonus points if they’re frilly).

Delicate and dainty looks will crop up. To be on-trend a mini skirt, ballet flats, and a pair of white or pink tights with leg warmers are essential. Slicked back buns and bows are small ways to incorporate this trend into your own tried and true outfits.

WhenDianne Austin was diagnosed with cancer resulting in the loss of her hair, she was shocked to discover that hospitals and medical wig salons did not sell wigs that looked like her tightly coiled and textured hair. Out of her frustration and desire to solve this problem for other women, Coils to Locs was born.

Austin and her sister and co-founder, Pamela Shaddock, started the business in November of 2019 and have made a tremendous impact for women of color seeking wigs that closely resemble their curly and textured hair.

Coils to Locs is a high quality synthetic wig resource for women of color or any woman who has textured hair and is experiencing forms of medical hair loss. They are filling a gap in the world of healthcare for cancer patients of color who have a lack of access to coiled or curly wigs.

The business model is two fold- they sell directly as distributors to hospitals and medical hair loss salons, as well as a separate style of wigs that is sold direct-to-consumer through their e-commerce site and online store platforms.

“The impact that we have made and have the potential to make in this medical hair loss space is the most rewarding part about owning this business. We are creating a pathway and opening doors for women to have access to styles that resonate with them culturally, and that has been really gratifying,” said Austin.

The business was founded based on Austin’s own experience as a cancer patient. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 she learned that she would be receiving a “...chemotherapy cocktail...” that would result in hair loss.

She discovered that there was a niche industry that provided wigs for medical hair loss and her doctor wrote her a prescription to get one. She went to local cancer centers and discovered that they did not sell wigs that resembled her hair.

Assuming this was only an issue in the Boston area, she researched and reached out to multiple hospitals in major cities across the country, learning that none of them provided this alternative wig style.

With a strong desire to make a change, the “...sisterpreneuers...” as they like to call themselves, started Coils to Locs. As one could imagine, building a company from the ground up in a new market was not an easy task. Shaddock mentioned that financing and funding the company was one of their biggest challenges when first starting out.

Figuring out the manufacturing piece was another big challenge. It took a few years before they launched to find the right distributor and manufacturers who could curate the designs they were looking for with the right texture and feel to them that also looked natural. The company sells high quality synthetic wigs that mimic human hair, so it was important to them to find the manufacturers that could do this the best.

Austin and Shaddock spent the four years leading up to the launch of their company learning about what it takes to launch a successful business and going through the foundational work.

Upon the launch of their business, word of mouth was the key way the sisters spread awareness about Coils to Locs. They had close connections to healthcare workers who supported patients in their target market.

They spent a lot of time in the community sitting in on panels and attending workshops. The two women also did their own marketing through social media and got public relations support early on, which helped to get the word out.

“Our tagline is ‘more than just a wig.’ We want to educate the consumer on hair loss and educate our vendors on what it means to have natural hair and how to care for it,” said Shaddock.

The vendors they work with are used to working with straight haired wigs, but were determined to properly handle the curly wigs and help the customer feel comfortable in them.

Beyond just providing the wigs, Austin and Shaddock prioritize teaching their vendors and customers how to take care of the wigs so they will look and feel their best in them.

“We want our customers to see a reflection of themselves in our wigs. When you’re going through medical hair loss in a society that places a lot of value on the way you look, it’s important for many women to look as much like themselves as possible,” said Austin. Their top priority is to make sure that in the medical hair loss spaces where there is a current lack in coily and textured wigs, women with that hair type can be comfortable and find what they need.

Having experienced firsthand the difficulty of searching the country for a wig that most closely resembled her own hair, these women are determined to make sure that women of color no longer have to feel that way.

“We want to be the go-to business in this space and have Coils to Locs be top of mind when someone is looking for wigs for hair loss... We want to be able to change the narrative around providing access to women, promote diversity and inclusion in medical spaces, and enable the people working in these spaces to recognize that wigs are not necessarily a one size fits all industry,” said Shaddock.

The sisters aren’t stopping here. They have numerous plans in the works to expand their company’s services within the next few years. They plan to add augmented reality to their website so that women can try on wigs virtually instead of just in person.

They are also planning to add wigs for men and children who are challenged with hair loss as well. With these new ideas in mind along with their already flourishing success, it is safe to say that Coils to Locs is only going to keep dominating this industry and changing lives one wig at a time.

@coilstolocswigs;coilstolocs.com