Did you know that the use of bows, as hair accessories, first became popular during the 17th and 18th century, as a way for men to adorn their wigs? It was believed that using ribbon and bows made a gentleman appear more extravagant and flamboyant. Nowadays, bows are more commonly seen as one of the most feminine ways to accessorise hair. They’re fun, chic, and fabulous. They have the ability to make you stand out from the crowd in an embellished, stylish way.
Bow Me Chic is a start-up business, based in Oxfordshire, which sells colourful and unique handmade hair bows. The adorable accessory company was set up in January 2022 by Daiene Ferreria, a single Brazilian mother who has lived in Europe for 19 years. Daiene says that her handmade bow brand was initially inspired by her 8-year-old daughter, Helena, who absolutely loves arts and crafts.
Daiene’s Journey
Daiene’s journey towards owning her own business started when she was just 11 years old, in Brazil. She says, “I would sell sweets at school to help my mother with household expenses”. Daiene then went on to explain how, at the age of 15, she started to pursue a career in banking, before deciding to sell popular cosmetic products in Portugal.
Daiene described how she “has always had an affinity for sales, my family use to exhibit at one of the biggest handicraft fairs in Belo Horizonte, known as “hippie fair”, during my vacations I use to help my family by making bows, scented bags, jewellery, and other products. It was therapeutic and a source of income at the same time.”
Alongside running her own business, Daiene now cares for her parents and is also a university student, studying Business and Management. She describes herself as someone who is simply “passionate about life”.
Starting Bow Me Chic
In January, after residing in Oxfordshire for 3 years, Daiene decided to begin the process of setting up her own business. She started by searching for the perfect business partnerships; she is now lucky enough to work with “some of the best artisans in Brazil”.
The entrepreneur then went on to conduct market research and begin promoting her beautiful and unique products. This included making use of a studio to take professional images, creating her own website, and growing the brand’s social media platforms. She says her goals “were always focused around supporting my family in a smart way”.
Daiene’s advice to anybody wishing to start their own business “would be not to rush to see profits right away, because it comes with the fruit of hard work. Being self-employed requires many hours of unpaid work but if done with passion and dedication it all pays off”.
The Hair Accessories
Since the start of the year, Daiene has created an assortment of amazing hair bows. The unique and creative designs are exclusive to her brand, and are often modelled by her daughter, who you can tell is a lover of the products. From watermelons, to mermaids, to ice cream; these colourful bows really do stand out. In particular, the flag themed bows in support of Ukraine and, of course, the sunshine bow and headband which is far too adorable not to mention.
Going forward, Daiene plans to continue to build on her business in order to create a strong brand reputation. She hopes to expand Bow Me Chic further, with more products and an online store, which sells children’s clothes and accessories.
You can browse through Bow Me Chic’s adorable and vibrant hair accessories via their website, on Etsy, or through social media.
Interested in other local businesses offering handmade crafts in Oxfordshire? Check out Hazel and BlewBury Crafts
