Behind the Brand: Meet the best friend duo behind Lovelle Salon Wear
By Callie Iley | 12 June 2023 | Brands, Feature, Salon & Spas
Fashion-forward beauty therapist best friends, Nikki Hutchings & Sonia Ghag, designed a range of salon wear to suit the modern beauty pro without compromising on style or comfort.
Nikki Hutchings & Sonia Gha
Beauty therapist duo, Nikki Hutchings and Sonia Ghag, met when their children started at school together. With both having an interest in fashion, the pair decided to take on the task of designing a range of fashion-forward salon wear.
Knowing the range needed to be comfortable enough for everyday salon wear, yet stylish enough to be current with the trends, and offer a range of shapes and sizes to cater for all body type, the pair utilised Nikki’s years of industry experience alongside Sonia’s creative drawing skills to design a range of uniforms.
Nikki qualified as a beauty therapist in 2003 and has worked as a beauty lecturer since 2008, loving to teach nails due to its creative potential, which she does alongside offering treatments to clients from her home salon. Nikki recalls her beauty students expressing discomfort with standard salon wear and notes that many have shared frustration that styles are outdated.
Sonia is qualified in microblading, performing treatments for her regular clientele from her garden-based salon. She also holds qualifications in graphic design, bringing a host of extra creative skills to the business.
The wheels were in motion for Lovelle Salon Wear by May 2022, after Nikki and Sonia spent time researching suppliers and sample fabrics, before deciding on a manufacturer to suit their vision. “We both love fashion and beauty,” the pair explain.
“We felt so passionate about creating a range of up-to-date salon wear that would suit a range of sizes and represent the modern-day hair and beauty professional. We pride ourselves on using the finest quality, luxury material, with 94% polyester and 6% spandex. It’s medical degree material and is non-iron, quick drying, sweat proof and stain proof – ideal for a salon environment.”
Currently offering three styles, affectionately named after Nikki and Sonia’s children, Lovelle Salon Wear boasts a size range from 4-24, with elasticated waistbands to offer extra stretch when needed. The pink packaging is complete with branded stickers and is environmentally friendly, using biodegradable posting bags with clear labelling.
“We actively listen to feedback from customers, and make any relevant changes to our designs based on this. We already have so many different ranges in the pipeline to suit a diverse customer base,” they enthuse. “We’re beauty therapists ourselves, so we’re wearing the same uniforms as our customers everyday. We know first-hand what’s important.
“We want our uniforms to make beauty therapists feel like the professionals they are.”
“A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into producing the range! We didn’t realise how challenging starting your own business could be,” Nikki and Sonia share. “We’re the best of friends and have the same vision, so we always have the support of each other.
“Life can be difficult juggling careers as beauty pros with running a business and being mothers. There never feels like there’s enough hours in the day to fit it all in!”
“The main challenge we had when launching was gaining exposure. We loved our designs and wanted others to see them too, but we had to learn to be patient and realise that nothing happens overnight. We’ve done many things to get our brand out there, including giving flyers out at beauty events, networking with companies on social media, visiting salons and spas and creating our own photo shoots.
“The Love Gigi is our favourite design as it comes in a range of colours, and the combat style trousers are extremely current. The frill waist is so flattering as, it draws you in at the waist. It’s also super comfy!”
“We love having our own brand because it’s something we’re so passionate about and believe in. It isn’t just about making money, it’s about professionals liking what they wear to work and feeling confident. When we receive photos of customers in Lovelle Salon Wear, it makes us so proud. It’s extremely rewarding.
“We have lots of plans for the future of Lovelle. We are currently designing more styles to cater for a diverse range of customers,” they share. “We don’t want to give too much away, but we’re very excited about it! In the future, we’d love to have our salon wear available in hair and beauty supplier shops so people can go in and try them on, and to work with well known companies that we admire.”
“We love the fact that the nail and beauty industry is an ever-changing place that allows people to be creative and help people feel good about themselves. There are so many amazing brands out there and each one has something special to offer.
“We believe there is enough room for everyone and are all about supporting and uplifting others,” Nikki and Sonia smile. “More and people are having treatments done, which can make such a difference to their lives. This really is so rewarding!”
Check out Lovelle Salon Wear via www.lovellesalonwear.com