Lace Wigs Retailing - Report Example

Lace Wigs Retailing Introduction A lace wig or lace front wig is a special type of wig designed with a sheer lace base. The wigs are made with the natural hair and woven by hand to sheer lace base. Full lace wigs may comprise a base fully made of lace whereas the common ones have a sheer lace at the front only where the natural hair is visible. The other parts of the wigs are made from a less fragile material, less susceptible to tearing or ripping then the lace. Among the various categories of wigs, lace wigs are the most expensive ranking after wigs with Spanish, RL modal hair or Russian hair. They have earned the reputation of been more realistic looking and less detectable. To attach the wig to wearer, they are glued to the head scalp and are long lasting. They are resistant to various climatic conditions thus the wearer can swim, shower as well as engage in other activities without causing damage to the wig. History of Lace Wigs in Society Although the lace wig may seem a new idea, it has existed for a very long time now. It was first invented in France by Leguet in the early 19th century (Institute of Textile Technology, 1994). However the patent rights holder of the lace wig is Telier who, after long court battles with other wig creators, won the patents rights custody. Some cultures have embraced wigs so as to protect bald heads from the ultra violet rays of the sun. The European counties embraced a different approach in dealing with wigs. Wigs were worn simply to boost people’s status in the society. In some contemporary societies, wigs are worn as a symbol of respect and mainly found on official proceedings like court cases (Lhboutique, 2010). Use of Lace Wigs in Society The lace wigs have been in use for quite a long period now. They have been used by the health practitioners, artists in the entertainment industry, kings, the young as well as the elderly. They have been used for various reasons like health problems, ornamental and others just for fun. In the past the lace wig was mainly worn for prestige as it was expensive thus could not be afforded from the low income earners. The lace wigs have also been worn by people for criminal reasons as the wig creates a new look for the wearer. In the contemporary society, wigs are worn by a range of people all with different motives which range from ornamental to criminal activities. The modern man has resorted to wearing wigs, and in particular the lace wig, instead of natural hair for various reasons. One of the reasons for doing this is health problems especially among cancer patients. Cancer treatment through chemotherapy and radiotherapy may easily cause loss of hair. This has made the cancer patients to resort to lace wigs so as they may continue enjoying their natural look. The creators of lace wigs have custom made wigs specifically for cancer patients. This has gone a long way in ensuring that the patients maintain almost their natural look thus cannot suffer from discrimination and humiliation from fellow friends. The lace wigs have also been used to hide baldness among women. With the lace wig, a bald woman is able to hide the baldness from fellow women thus she may not suffer from humiliation. This has boosted the self confidence of the bald women and can now attend to official duties without fear or whatsoever. Lace wigs have been used for reasons relating to alopecia. Alopecia is a medical condition in which humans lose hair from the various parts of the body especially the scalp. The condition is unwelcome and involuntary and may arise out of the different hairstyling routines. It is habitual for most of the women suffering from the condition to suffer from low self esteem and confidence due to deterioration of their hair condition and change in their appearance (Siegel 1985 p112). The lace wigs has been very beneficial in boosting the self esteem and confidence of such women by hiding their hair problems. Celebrities and Lace Wigs The lace wig has grown in popularity since first being seen with the celebrities. Several of the celebrities in the music and movie industry have adopted the lace wigs as their hair styles. Such celebrities include Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, John Travolta, and Beyonce among others according to Lhboutique (2010). The use of lace wigs by celebrities have greatly reduced the stigma and embarrassment associated with wearing a wig (Simiweave, 2010, p2). The celebrities have been using the lace wigs to change their hairstyle and appearance without having to cut their hair or subjecting the hair to treatments. When applied correctly, the base of the lace base creates a flawless hairline and this has led to many celebrities using the hairpiece on a daily basis (Lhboutique, 2010, par 5). This is for reasons relating to natural hair protection from harsh weather and climatic conditions. The use of lace wigs have also been used by celebrities in experimenting new looks. One of the reasons why the celebrities wear the lace front wig is to have a good hair day. The lace wig is not sensitive to the health, moods or hormones of the wearer as the natural hair. It is a common practice for most wearers to style the wigs days before the material wearing day. This is to save time especially when getting ready for a night out. In the celebrity world, lace wigs have been used by models like Dolly patron and Cher to show versatility. The wearing of wigs by celebrities has greatly contributed to higher levels of wigs acceptability in our society. The fear associated with wearing of wigs has faded away through much contribution from the celebrities. In the recent past, lace wigs have been used in the film industries for movie production. The lace front wig gives the actors a natural appearance when on stage or during performance. Lace wigs have been used in the film production industry to portray various roles. The various movie actors have used lace wigs so as they may look as natural as possible when acting a certain role. The lace wigs brings out a natural touch to the wearer thus when used by people in the music and movie industry, the role will seem natural to the people. This will attract more viewers and therefore expand the market of the movie. The lace wigs have also been used by male actors to assume the role of female actors. This has given the movie industry a new dimension in acting thus one is not limited to a role in a movie on gender basis. Applying the Lace Wig For better results with lace wigs, the wearer should consult an expert known for best results. It is advisable for the wearer to measure the circumference of the head around the hairline, take the measurements from front to nape, ear to ear through the front head, ear to ear through the top of the head, across the neck’s nape and temple to temple across the back of the head. These measurements are essential when one is purchasing the lace wig and especially when one is looking for a more realistic looking wig. In attaching a lace wig, one requires adhesives like ultra hold and safe grip, knot sealant, solvents like C22 and lace release, and adhesive application brush. The excessive lace wig is cut leaving about 0.5” around the hairline. This should be done carefully not to remove excessive or little lace that may spoil the intended look. The inside of the cap should be sprayed with a knot sealer and then the lace wig blow dried to seal the knots. The process should be repeated for at least three times to extend the life of the wig. Next, the wig is pre-fitted onto the head so that the wearer determines how it lays on the head. To ensure that the hair lies flat, it should be braided in cornrolls (Conway, 2004). The hairline is trimmed with a clipper or razor to ensure a smooth hairless surface. Alcohol is the applied along the hairline in attempts to remove the natural oils. The adhesive applicator should be used in applying the adhesives around the hairline and the hair smoothed out using the adhesive application brush. Wait for about 7-10 minutes for the adhesive to dry and when the glue is dry, apply the wig starting from the center of the forehead, to the right and left. The wig may be applied ¼ of the head at a time. When the edge of the wig is placed in the glue, it should be rubbed in a circular motion so that it gives the idea of a baby hair growing from the scalp thus making it look more natural (Delamar, 2003). This should be repeated till the whole wig is applied. The wig should be treated just like the natural hair and manufacturers instructions followed strictly. Use of lace wigs can sometimes be very hectic for the wearers. This is due to the fact that the application of the wig involves use of tape and hair glue as adhesives. After continued use, the adhesives may cause damage to the nape of the neck and the hairline. To curb this, one should take a break by switching with other hairpieces like the closures and sew in extensions. The lace front wig has a lot of unique benefits from the way they are manufactured. The wig is attached from ear to ear along the hairline allowing the wearer to expose the hairline. This also ensures that the wig is off the face. Exposing the hairline will give the wearer a realistic look such that others are not able to detect that it is not the natural hair (Institute of Textile Technology, 1994). The lace area supplied on a wig parts the hair in a range of styles and thus simulate scalp the wearer should ensure that the wig cap matches their scalp such that it is undetectable by others. Cost and Durability of Lace Wigs In terms of cost, lacehairwigs are generally expensive as compared to other types of wigs. This is because of the natural look it brings out on the wearer and the types of material used to manufacture them. Most of them have cost ranging from $200 to $300 (Celebritystylewigs, nd) which is due to increase in the cost of production contributed by the wage increases of overseas workers in countries like China and India. However, top quality wigs go for between $500 and $1000. When applied, the lace front wig can last for as at least one month. The wig can stay for a long period of time, that is, 9 to 24 months. This depends on if the wearer maintains it and takes the necessary steps in applying hair food. Supply and Marketing of Lace Wigs Lace wigs come in different hues and designs. Some of the designs include tight curl, silky straight, yaki straight, body wave, and natural curls. In most cases, retailers of lace wigs offer a variety of accessories that go with the lace wigs for sale to customers. In marketing the lace front wigs, marketers often stress on the benefits brought about by the products. The marketers mainly target the middle and rich given their prices are considerably higher than other kind of wigs. The marketers also offer free demonstrations on the outcome of wearing the wig as this can attract more people into buying it. It should be noted that people of afro Caribbean origin are the ones that prefer using the wigs most. Therefore, many markers and retailers commonly target this market segment. Clear demonstrations are normally done on potential clients so that they may understand how to take care of the wigs. The lace wig is best marketed by approaching salon and offering demonstrations and training staff on how to fit them and give them information on the benefits of the hair system. Also the marketers commonly show potential clients how to maintain different hair systems so as to help them know how to maintain the wigs to last for as long as possible. In some cases, there are always weekly advertising on the gum tree website, monthly distribution of flyers, monthly calls to salon owners by marketers to tell them about the products and services so they can introduce it to their clients. The major manufacturers and sellers of the lace wig are China, India, Brazil and Malaysia. China is known for marketing its Lace wigs in greater numbers and at cheaper prices. Further reading http://www.lacefront-wig.com/instructional-videos-on-lace-front-wigs.php References Celebritystylewig (nd) We specialize in Full Lace Wigs and Lace Front Wigs, viewed 9th August, 2010 http://www.celebritystylewigs.com/ Conway J. (2004), Professional Make-up Artistry (illustrated edition), Heinemann, London. Delamar P. (2003), The complete make-up artist: working in film, fashion, television and theatre (2nd edition, illustrated), Northwestern University Press, Illinois. Institute of Textile Technology (1994), Textile technology digest, Volume 51, Issues 1-6, Institute of Textile Technology, Raleigh. Lhboutique.net (2010), Wig History , viewed on 10th August 2010 from http://www.lhboutique.net/2009/04/wig-history.html Siegel M. (1985), Reversing Hair Loss (illustrated edition), Simon & Schuster, New York. Simiweave.com (2010), Step up your wig game and try a lace front Viewed on 10th August 2010 from http://www.simiweave.com/pdf/Upscale%20wig%20feature%20Jan%202008.pdf Read More