In this episode of A Day With, host Michelle De Swarte gets her nails done by Sharmadean Reid, the founder of the insanely popular beauty brand WAH London. When Reid opened her nail salon in 2009, it was the beginning of the economic recession; she borrowed money from friends and had just two employees. But the simple premise that beauty is about community soon transformed her small Dalston salon into a global phenomenon: After all, even when women can’t afford a meal or drink out, they still need a place to gather and talk… and maybe get a quick manicure while they’re at it.
Now, Reid’s nail products sell at major retailers around the world, and her flashy signature looks have inspired a new wave of nail art trends. On top of all this, she’s encouraging young women to follow her lead, tossing empty platitudes about empowerment to the curb to focus on financial independence, building a community, and subverting negative stereotypes about feminism—one perfectly manicured nail at a time.
