Wig maker who lost her hair now counts Williams and Campbell among clients

According to the BBC, Antonia Okonma Shittu began her wig business with two wigs, selling them door to door from the boot of her car. The BBC reports that, nearly two decades later, A-List Lace Hair has salons in London and New York, with Serena Williams and Naomi Campbell among its clients. [1]

Shittu was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 26, a moment she described as a “massive turning point”. She was told at the time that she would use a wheelchair within a year, according to the BBC. The BBC reports that she now uses a wheelchair and experiences fatigue associated with MS. [1]

According to the BBC, she also lost her hair while undergoing chemotherapy following a bone marrow transplant. “I didn’t feel like myself,” she told the BBC. She said wearing a wig that resembled her previous hair could help bring back that sense of self. [1]

Shittu said periods of leg numbness and exhaustion have changed how she runs the business. She has had to put more trust in other people and build a team, she said. [1]