Divalocks – Keeping African Women Stylish

Braided wigs are all the rage these days as they provide style and comfort at very affordable prices. One of the recent entrants to this burgeoning market is Divalocks.  Divalocks believe that African hair styles such as braids or twists are beautiful works of art which when worn with pride and elegance by women of African or Afro Caribbean heritage, exude a regal aura that is priceless.

They provide a rich and beautiful array of braided wigs to enhance the beauty of any woman who loves the African hair styles; at the fraction of the time and cost. EBONY LIFE magazine caught up with founder Chinye Ukwu, (pictured) to talk wigs, family and winding down after a long business day.

ELIFE:  What made you take the leap into entrepreneurship? What was that ‘A-ha’ moment?

CU: My late dad was an entrepreneur and I was fortunate to observe what an entrepreneur’s life entailed and it made a huge impact in my life, and made me realise that I wanted to be an entrepreneur too and manage companies when I grew up. As years went by, my fascination for entrepreneurship continued to grow as I studied and observed the lives of several entrepreneurs. At the same time, I was waiting for the right opportunity to take the plunge with.

Discovering these beautiful braided wigs and how incredibly time-saving they were to me, I decided (with a huge encouragement from the older sister) this was the right opportunity to make that plunge. I decided to set up an e-commerce company that would introduce premium braided styles at highly competitive prices, to women that love stylish braids without having to spend hours in the hair salon!

ELIFE: Did you ever deal with contention from your family concerning your entrepreneurial pursuits? How did you handle it?

CU: I am glad to say that I have nothing but encouragement from my husband, children, sisters and mother. My husband and children have been really supportive, showing such understanding the many times I have had to dedicate days and weeks even, setting up the e-commerce company, getting the products ready and preparing for upcoming business shows.

On the 14^th of October, we are all going to be at the inaugural UK Black Business Show in London, exhibiting our braided wigs at the Divalocks stand.

ELIFE: So, tell us a bit about the product range, what kind of wigs do you sell?

CU: Divalocks is a UK e-commerce company that sells a collection of African braided and cornrow wigs that are handcrafted with 100% Kanekalon hair on a breathable and adjustable wig cap by the locals in Nigeria.

Our range of braided wigs include the elegant Micro Braids or lovely Micro Twists that come with a natural looking parting, which can be worn in the centre or at the side.

We also have the beautiful Omalicha – a cluster of braids ending in ringlets; Divabob – a wig of braids cut into a classic bob; Waterfall – a stunning mass of wavy braids; Diva Curla – a wig of short twists shaped in an afro; Chic Twists – a truly chic wig of shoulder length medium twists with a side parting.

We also have the Twista Sista – a salon staple style made up of natural looking afro twists and finally,  DivaStreaks – a sleek mix of two coloured Kanekalon hair in either Micro Braids or Micro Twists.

ELIFE: How are they different/better than what is out there in the market?

CU:Divalocks braided and cornrow wigs are different and some cases better than what is out there in the UK market, because our wigs do not look like wigs. Our wigs are so natural looking and neatly hand-woven, people are truly taken aback when they discover that the braids are wigs and not actually woven into the wearer’s hair.

Our wigs are different to all that is out there, because we are so competitively priced, that our wigs are cheaper than the cost of braiding your hair with hair extensions at the hair salon, in similar styles to our braided wigs. Our wigs come with the added advantage, of giving you Salon Ready braids in a matter of seconds and not hours!

Our wigs are different because we retail trendy and head-turning braided and cornrow styles, with a modern twist on the traditional African braided styles.

ELIFE: How long do your wigs last and why are they more durable than those out there?

CU:Divalocks braided wigs are all made from 100% Kanekalon hair, which is a great quality product. On our Wig Care page at www.divalocks.co.uk, we outline the steps to follow, to get the maximum use from our braided wigs. We advise washing the braided wigs in warm water with some shampoo added and towel drying gently, then  air drying on a wig stand until dry.

We advise against using any heat products such as hair dryers, to avoid damaging the wig. Our wigs tend to last for a minimum of 2 years, as long as our Wig Care instructions are adhered to.

ELIFE: Some women have long hair; how can they ensure your wigs fit over it?

CU: We advise women to neatly pull back their hair into a single plait and put a flesh coloured wig cap over their hair, ensuring their hair is hidden beneath the wig cap, before wearing our braided wigs. A one-minute video, demonstrating how to put on our braided wigs is available to watch on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/divalocksbraidedwigs

ELIFE: Do you offer a consultation service for those women, thinking of having a braided wig?

CU: We can offer helpful tips and assistance for those thinking of getting a braided wig from us. We can be contacted via our telephone number – 0203 6335083 or our email address – store@divalocks.co.uk.

ELIFE: Although you have a variety of styles, do you do custom made or bespoke wigs?

CU: Yes we do offer custom made or bespoke wigs for anyone that is interested in ordering a braided wig that is not available on our website. We can be contacted via our email address – store@divalocks.co.uk or phone number – 0203 6335083 or via our Contact page on our website (www.divalocks.co.uk) for enquiries about our custom-made or bespoke wig service.

ELIFE: What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business’ success?

CU:  The uniqueness of our braided and cornrow wigs is the single most influential factor to our business’ success.

Due to the quality of our products, we thrive and persist in our quest to ensure that women who love braids and cornrows have the choice of wearing braids/twists/cornrows at highly competitive prices without the added fuss of spending hours on end at the hair salon or being disappointed by your hair dresser’s inability to replicate the stunning braided style you long for.

ELIFE: What do you do to recharge when you’re feeling drained?

CU: When I am feeling drained and need to relax, I spend time with my husband and children catching up on cookery programs/movies or playing board games. Sometimes I lose myself in a really good novel as I try to unwind.

ELIFE: What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started as an entrepreneur?

CU:I wish I had known how demanding and time consuming it can be to run your own business, with so many aspects of the business to manage on your own when you start.

I wish I had known about the various ups and downs that can occur in an entrepreneur’s day and how resilient and persistent you need to be in order to overcome the obstacles that you will surely come across. But I wouldn’t give it up, because this is what I have always wanted to do ever since I can remember.

To see Divalocks full range visit www.divalocks.co.uk