FASHTALKS WITH KELA

When did you know you wanted to be a designer?

This didn’t make me want to become a designer but more of an inventor. I guess because of my background in science and research, I wanted to find a better way to hold the strands of hair back. I also wanted to create something that was beautiful and easy to clip into your own hair without having to go to a hairdresser to create an elaborate look. Knowing one day that my Jewelry line might get copied and made into a plastic children's line, I began finding ways to make the same technology work with molded plastic charms and shapes.

What made you want to design jewelry for hair?

The memories I had of being a teenager and always trying to find clever and pretty ways to clip my fringe out of my face bring me to one memory that inspired me to start plaing around again. I would twist strands of my fringe back and across bobby pins over each other to hold each twisted strand back. I began to look around for a better, simpler and nicer option. After weeks of trying different ideas, I came up with a charm that could clip in place and stay in place. 

What did the beginnings of KELA Hair Jewelry look like?

Endless days of drawing, buying bits and pieces, and making my ideas. Worked with factories to help me engineer the charms, which was a constant back-and-forth process (create/prototypes/test). Two years later, the products were finished, and I set out to find a way to market and sell them. I was not very knowledgeable in this area. The challenge now was to find a good team and investors. Through all the highs and lows of a new business and learning what to do and not to do, I got the company to a profitable place within a few years and met an incredible investor in 2023.

Where do you find your inspiration?

My daughter inspired me to pursue my idea further by constantly pressuring me to make her hair pretty. It was her relentless persuading, and then weeks later, I heard an advertisement on the radio and thought if she liked it, many others would, too.

How would you describe the style you aim for your brand?

Classy, elegant, and simple to use for the everyday woman.

What sets your brand apart from the rest?

KELA’s revolutionary technology is a game changer. It combines two inner resilient silicon pads that stop the product from slipping and damaging hair and a one-action clasp mechanism that is not only easy to use but also gives the user confidence that their KELA hair jewelry will stay in place, no matter what life throws at them. KELA has protected its intellectual property with trademarks and patents filed in multiple countries. There is no other company in the world that has the technology KELA has. We are one of a kind.

What brand values are most important for KELA Hair Jewelry?

Quality and integrity, always improving the looks and styles.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to a new designer?

Stay true to yourself. Be consistent, persistent, dedicated, and determined to never give up. Your ambitions and dreams will materialize.

What was your previous work experience before launching your brand?

Medical Scientist / Laboratory Manager in Histopathology.

What were the toughest circumstances you overcame when launching your brand?

Creating a team that had the same vision and then, of course, the challenges of Covid. I restructured the company toovercome these challenges, and here we are today, launching in the USA.

If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career, what would it be?

Be patient and surround yourself with individuals with the same vision and goals.

What was the inspiration behind naming your brand?