Derbyshire wig couture service puts down roots at high street studio to help people through hair loss

Sarah Afiovana Hair Couture arrived on Bank Road a few months ago, having started as a mobile service across the Dales in 2017, and then in a garden cabin at Sarah’s home around the school run.

It is easy to brush past the brown door leading up above a café and an opticians but that is the kind of discretion clients appreciate when they come looking for a way to feel more at ease in other people’s eyes.

Handling every stage of the business, aided only by two part-time stylists, Sarah, 37, said: “You don’t realise how much hair is tied to your identity until it’s gone. Helping someone feel like themselves again is the most powerful part of what I do.

“Hair loss can take more than just hair. It can take confidence, identity, and comfort in your own skin. My role is to gently help people reclaim that.”

The business began from that realisation, when Sarah applied her more cosmetic interest in wigs and extensions to help a family member going through chemotherapy.

Sarah said: “It was easy for me to create a piece for her, and the difference it made to someone I loved and cared for was incredible. It changed her emotional state and gave her the confidence to go out and deal with all the challenges they were facing.”

Having built on her business education with extensive training in wig making and hair replacement, today Sarah is a registered supplier to the NHS, recommended to men, women and children going through treatment, grappling with permanent conditions such as alopecia, or simply struck by the effects of aging, hormones and genetic inevitability.

The studio also maintains a steady stream of online business from customers looking for the feelgood boost of a short-term makeover, extensions and accessories, but most of Sarah’s attention is given to in-person clients.

She said: “My work is very much consultation-led and centred around discretion and dignity. Hair loss is not simply a cosmetic concern, it is an emotional journey that can deeply affect identity, self-esteem, and how they feel stepping out into the world.

“There’s still a stigma where people don’t realise what it means for a person to wear a wig when they’ve experience hair loss for any reason.”

She added: “My role is to gently support clients through that transition, creating solutions that feel natural, comfortable, and truly reflective of who they are.

“The most rewarding thing is to see someone who came in looking worried walk out of the door smiling. It’s not just a business, it’s about being able to give someone that smile back in what might be the worst time of their life.”

Among those to feel the difference is Lauren Turner, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 26, requiring a double mastectomy, and intensive chemo- and radiotherapy.

Lauren, who has shared her cancer journey via TikTok @laurenturner1247, said: “At the time I was diagnosed, I was a new mum, still trying to find my feet. Instead of focusing solely on my baby and those precious early moments, I was suddenly faced with hospital appointments, difficult decisions, and a future that felt uncertain.

“Each stage brought its own challenges, both physically and emotionally. Cancer has changed my life in so many ways, but it has also shown me strength I didn’t know I had, and taught me resilience, gratitude, and the importance of the people who lift you up when you need it most.

“One of the hardest parts of treatment was losing my hair. It felt like losing a part of my identity at a time when so much already felt out of my control. The hospital provided me with a list of wig specialists, and that’s when I found Sarah.

“From the moment I met her, she made me feel comfortable, understood, and supported. She didn’t just help me find a wig—she helped me find myself again.”

Susan Baldwin had a similar experience, albeit with a different root cause.

She said: “One grey Sunday morning in November last year, I found myself distraught at the sight of my ever-thinning hair. White scalp to be seen everywhere, static lifeless wisps.

“It was a state of despair. I was on the verge of hysteria but I decided I must be able to do something. I googled ‘hair replacement solutions’ near me and Sarah appeared in the results, so I emailed with a desperate plea for help – a 69-year old woman with rheumatoid arthritis asking if anything could be done.

“Sarah’s understanding and compassion shone through. I went for a consultation tried several hairpieces before deciding on ‘the one’, and Sarah arranged for a stylist to visit make some modifications to how I wanted it cut and styled.

“Since owning the hairpiece and following Sarah’s advice and guidance, my confidence has grown immensely. Although a little self conscious at first, I now wear it with pride. I feel like a different person.”

Sarah’s wigs are mostly imported: investment-priced natural hair from Russia via the Middle East despite geopolitical tensions, and more affordable synthetics mostly sourced from China.

But every client arrives at a bespoke creation tailored to their needs, lifestyle and taste.

Sarah said: “What makes my approach unique is the level of personalisation and care involved. Every piece is thoughtfully selected or designed to integrate seamlessly with the individual, not only in colour and style, but in how it fits into their everyday life.

“Not all of my clients come to me from a place of loss, some come from a place of creativity and self-expression. For those who enjoy changing their look without chemically altering their natural hair, wigs can offer both protection and freedom.

“I also support individuals who express different aspects of their identity through hair, including those who cross-dress or perform in drag. My approach is always the same, to provide a safe, respectful, and welcoming space where people can feel comfortable, confident, and completely themselves.”

For more details about Sarah’s services, visit sarahafiovana.co.uk.