How Emi Jay Claw Clips Made Middle Schoolers Millionaires
BY SARIA DEEK
Claw clips became girls’ best friends in the 2020s. And as we all know, everything is better when it's bedazzled. So it's no surprise that Emi Jay, an accessory company that specializes in durable, fashionable hair clips made with flashy and customizable designs, is seen everywhere. Though the price for one of these clips (custom ones beginning at $88?!) can drive some customers away, Emi Jay has centered itself in social media and become a household staple for women across the country. The brand recently launched at Sephora, and sales have continued to skyrocket since then. While their hefty price tag may seem staggering to many modern consumers, especially compared to other claw clips, the market now is nothing compared to what it was in 2009.
Emi Jay was founded when 14-year-old Julianne Goldmark became obsessed with Gossip Girl and Blair Waldorf’s versatile hair pins, but was discouraged by the staggering prices of hair accessories. She recalls “As a teenager, I grew up with a school uniform, and the only way to really accessorize and self-express was through hair and jewelry.” However, “All of the hair accessories I fell in love with were way out of my 14-year-old budget.”
So with nothing but her teenage allowance, Goldmark would set out for hours on end to Downtown Los Angeles, eagerly seeking inspiration from the craft and design stores on every corner. Thanks to her mother’s encouragement, young Goldmark eventually settled on hair clips. Though she was only in 8th grade, Goldmark already had a strong entrepreneurial mindset and was ready to share these clips with the world. She began selling them with her best friend Emily Matson in their Los Angeles middle school, and quickly realized just how excited people were about these little clips.
Photo Description: Emi Jay’s mindfully youthful and feminine aesthetics for each of their products. (source: https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/hair/emi-jay-sephora-hair-care-accessories-1236906578/)
Less than three years later, at 17 years old, the pair opened their first office in 2012. Goldmark says with pride, “Up until then we were working out of a guest room in my childhood home. That milestone was when I began to realize we were building something special.” That very same year, Emi Jay was featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things and began to build a real name for themselves. The next eight years were filled with new developments, events, and products, and Emi Jay reached unprecedented heights. However, in spring of 2020, COVID struck.
Stories of brands fizzling out due to quarantine are no longer a surprise to consumers, and Emi Jay was no exception. For the first few months of the pandemic, Emi Jay’s sales plummeted; the business struggled to keep up with marketing and production demands. As a response, Emi Jay redesigned itself. Goldmark says, “Quarantine gave us the opportunity to redefine our brand and engage more with our customers.” For instance, “On the design side of things, we were intentional about creating products that our customers would be able to wear at home.”
It would be an understatement to say that this plan was successful. Now boasting over $10 million in annual revenue, the product behind everyone’s effortless updos is everywhere. Emi Jay has partnered with franchises like LoveShackFancy, Summer Fridays, and Revolve, and continues to stock shelves on a global scale. With the rate with which they continue to develop, it seems unlikely that this fashion statement will be disappearing anytime soon, much to the joys of teenage girls around the world.
