The first thing you notice about Candius (apart from her hair) is her passion for women’s empowerment and self-awareness.
Since its inception in January 2017, La’Verita’ Hair has come a long way. As the company enters its ninth year, Candius Diallo, the founder, talks about her vision for the brand and her devotion to making it a reality. Everything we see today started as thoughts, ideas, and conversations initiated by Candius.
La’Verita was launched barely 2 years after she came to Nigeria. Candius, whose background is in Nursing and Hospitality, became famous in Lagos for always having the most natural-looking extensions anytime she was spotted either at an event or running her regular everyday business, so the decision to locate the business in Lagos Nigeria, was a no brainer.
At the time she came to Nigeria over 10 years ago, most people didn’t realize she had extensions on, and those who did couldn’t tell where her hair stopped and the extensions began.
Candius’s focus on reaching out to professionals and businesswomen first is because she understands the demand the work environment may place on their total appearance, especially hair, and how this can result in quick fixes that have over time become one of the causes of hair loss suffered by
professional women.
Some women have kept their hair healthy and natural but the continued usage of wigs is becoming a threat to the health of their hair and that is what
Candius is campaigning against.
“I’d walk up to a lady, start a hair conversation, and most times it would have me educating her on how extensions and wigs are designed to work and why our problems may be how we use them or the textures we are embracing” Candius explained. “Your hair should be the first thing people notice when they see you; that’s your crown. But lately, you walk into a room and all the ladies look alike; there’s always an 80% chance that you will not be the only person wearing the same look.”
La’Verita sells knowledge alongside its extensions because it is the bedrock of the business. Candius believes that if people are well-informed, they will make better decisions. This is why consultation is a key part of the purchasing process.
“Today I see prospects turned clients, especially those with virgin afro hair, now go for weeks with just our braid extensions which they can style in
multiple ways without altering their hair texture; this is the most fulfilling part of what I do. When my clients become the advocates of what I call healthy beauty”.
La’Verita Hair was created as a result of Candius’s efforts to change the mindset that beautiful hair has to be certain textures or looks. When she
recalls how parents are now installing extensions on babies to fit the expectations of beautiful hair, she pushes herself to create coils and curls in
their finest texture so black girls don’t lose their confidence and identity. “Women wear extensions around the world, but it’s only the black woman who is expected to alter her hair to fit her extensions or hide it. This shows that there is a major knowledge, product, and awareness gap in our culture.”
With this in mind, Candius had to build her processing factory from scratch in Lagos. She realized that, in such a competitive market, she needed to
understand the ins and outs of the manufacturing process to set herself apart from other brands and factories. To ensure the quality and standards remain the same, she had to learn the skill of processing so her patterns, extensions, and standards remain unique to the brand and not easily replicated.
After years of continuous improvement in processing, La’Verita now offers high-quality products such as Hair Bundles in 11 different curl patterns that can be used for braiding, wigs, wefts, micro installations, and ponytails by women of color.
“With every step I take, I’m thinking of everyone who will come in contact with my brand and how it will benefit them.
How will the lady wearing my extensions feel when she walks into a room? What will it do to her confidence? How will it help the stylist reinvent himself; How does it set my distributors apart? How does it take them out of the red ocean of everyone competing on price (because they have the same supplier), to them customizing their textures with our extensions?
These are the thoughts that go through my mind when I think of the task ahead,” mused Candius.
Looking at the sustainability of La’Verita Hair; According to statista.com, as of January 2024, the revenue generated under personal care is about 282.80 billion dollars, and Candius seems clear on how she will remain relevant and true to her course. She had expanded their offerings with the introduction of three indigenous hair textures, Lasgidi Wave, Abuja Curls, and Naija Blend, with a product launch on September 24, 2023, to embrace the different curls and waves Nigerian women love. Each texture can be worn individually or blended to create the right textures for a unique look.
For design, La’Verita Hair extensions are made to be weightless despite the volume, especially the braid bundles, so there is no added pressure to the hair. Maintenance after installation is low, and styles are versatile. The extensions can be worn wet, blown out, or by creating temporary curls with cornrows.
La’Verita Hair is designed to make life beautiful, easier, and comfortable for the one who chooses to be the La’Verita Woman.
