How Latched And Hooked Became The First Black-Owned Wig Brand On QVC

In 2021, Latched and Hooked founder Tiffini Gatlin received an email from a buyer about featuring her synthetic hair extension and wig brand on QVC, but she didn’t immediately respond yes. “I actually had a lot of questions because I didn’t understand the demographics of QVC, and I wasn’t sure if what I had to offer would resonate with their consumer base,” she says.

While the shopping network reaches 380 million households globally, Gatlin didn’t know if Latched and Hook’s primary audience of Black women were tuning into QVC for their hair needs. She theorizes the network was thinking along the same lines. She says, “They wanted to engage with a company who had experience creating textured faux hair pieces for Black women.”

Gatlin ultimately agreed to Latched and Hooked going on QVC. On Feb. 4, she says it became the first Black-owned faux hair brand to launch on the network, which is only selling one of the brand’s products for now, the On the Go Pineapple Wig with Headband. A brown version of the product sold out 24 hours after Gatlin’s QVC debut. At the channel, where deals are the deal, it’s priced at $36 compared to previously retailing for $50 on Latched and Hooked’s website.

Gatlin, who will appear on QVC2 tonight, describes her almost 10-minute QVC premiere as fast and fun. “I only had a short amount of time to convince a group of women who may have never worn wigs before that this was for them and that it was easy,” she says. “I told them even my 6-year-old can put it on and style it. I wanted to use every second showing them how quickly they can transform their look.” She’s pretty sure she nailed it because the next day the brown version of the wig sold out.

Latched and Hooked launched in 2016 after Gatlin’s oldest daughter developed an itchy scalp from the braiding hair she used. Before Latched and Hooked, Gatlin founded Curlkalon Hair Collection, a line of pre-curled and looped crochet hair. Both were developed to provide Black women with safe hair options.

Braiding hair is Latched and Hooked’s hero product. It ventured into the wig category in 2020 during the pandemic when most beauty supply stores and salons were closed and women were seeking styles they could feel confident wearing for Zoom calls. She sought to make Latched and Hooked’s wigs easy enough for beginners. There’s no cutting, gluing or blending involved.

Gatlin went with the Pineapple Wig style for Latched and Hooked’s QVC debut because it’s straightforward for customers and for the brand to produce. QVC marks Latched and Hooked’s retail debut, and Gatlin was keen on fulfilling its purchase order in a cost-effective manner.

“I really wanted to dip my toe in the water versus jumping in headfirst,” says Gatlin, adding, “I didn’t want to go with anything that was going to really be expensive for me to make or expensive for the customer to purchase right off the bat without them knowing who Latched and Hooked was. I really wanted to introduce a product that customers could get to know who we were first, and then decide if they like us and if they wanted more.”

When Gatlin initially sent QVC a sample of the Pineapple Wig, the network suggested she lessen the volume of the hair in the product. She pushed back, explaining that the wig represents how Black women’s hair typically grows. She recounts she informed the network, “I don’t want to take the volume out because I’ve already sold it to my customers, so I know it works. I’d rather keep it the way I designed it.”

Gatlin participated in QVC’s rigorous training program before appearing on air. It includes a self-guided session and guest training through roleplaying. “There is a QVC standard, and you have to become certified to understand the whole culture,” says Gatlin. The products have their own preparation protocol, too. They have to undergo quality testing. Latched and Hook’s Pineapple Wig didn’t pass muster initially.

Gatlin shares, “Not because the product wasn’t good, but because they were asking me for certain things to prove that, if a customer put this on and they went outside and it started raining and it got wet, would dye from the turbine cloth that’s attached to it start running off on their face? Well, I didn’t know that. I didn’t even test that.”

The testing set Gatlin back months, and she advises brands looking to partner with QVC be buttoned-up about product claims prior to discussions with it. She says, “Whatever you put in those instructions that you tell the customer to do, they’re going to test it and make sure it makes sense and that it’s going to perform the way you said it’s going to perform.” Another style that QVC has been considering is Latched and Hooked’s Box Braid Magic Hat, and Gatlin hopes it will make its way to the network in the future.

With Latched and Hook’s inaugural wholesale partnership under her belt, Gatlin is turning her sights to other retailers like Target, Sephora and Ulta Beauty. Brand collaborations are possibilities, too. She throws out Steve Madden as a dream collaborator. Maintenance haircare is on the product docket as well.

In the far future, Gatlin foresees Latched and Hooked having its own concept store. She says it could be the Urban Outfitters of hair extensions, and envisions hair tutorials playing on televisions, customers getting their hair braided and a wall presenting customizable braiding hair colors.

“For me, it’s always been about ensuring that my customer has access. I wanted to make sure that consumers can go beyond the beauty supply store in marginalized neighborhoods. I wanted consumers to be able to feel good about making a purchase, buying a wig because it is so personal,” says Gatlin. “It’s almost like buying your undergarments. It’s an intimate item, and so the place where you shop to buy that should be a pleasant experience.”