FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Local Black-owned business Hair Couture in Fayetteville is the product of a mother-daughter duo whose mission is to help individuals within the community who suffer with hair loss.
According to owners Candice Graham and Carolyn Brewer, Hair Couture is the first and only beauty supply in Arkansas to sell products that offer hair-loss solution services.
“I grew up in Fayetteville and when I was growing up the only beauty supply that we had in Northwest Arkansas that was catered to minority hair care was Sally’s,” said Hair Couture Co-owner Candice Graham.
Because of this, Candice and her mom Carolyn decided to fill an unmet need in the community.
“We were very limited for things African American, so I wanted to be able to provide quality products that didn’t break the bank and that where you knew the quality matched the price,” Graham explained.
There’s another element to the store that makes it so special. In July 2020, Candice was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was then that the owners started to understand the effect cancer has on women.
"These ladies need help because I'd hate for someone to come in and they're all depressed about cancer. So my daughter Candice said hey let's do something," said Brewer.
A few years ago the duo started offering hair consultations for anyone with alopecia and a cancer diagnosis.
“I felt like it was a blessing because I was able to relate to a lot of the women that we had coming into the store. I already had this idea in my head that you know I wasn’t going to be attached to my hair,” Graham recalled.
Since 2011, the mom and daughter duo continue to make an impact on clients and their hair journey.
Hair Couture client Adrienne Gaines was diagnosed with breast cancer in August of 2021 and says witnessing Candice go through her cancer journey while still helping others through her business was inspirational.
“She [Candice] lost her hair and she wore wraps and everything on her head but she didn’t make the journey look as hard as it is because she still kept herself and showed the importance of still feeling really beautiful while you’re going through something that’s really hard,” said Gaines.
Hair Couture not only offers wigs for women but for men and children who are losing hair. The beauty supply is expanding another element to their store by offering solutions for eyelashes and eyebrows which cancer patients sometimes lose as well, in addition to planning events to reach an unmet need statewide.
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