Rebel Nails businesswoman to work at London Fashion Week

Nail technician Emma Lee, 36, will rub shoulders with leading designers, top models and big name brands at the world-famous show, which starts today.

Emma, of Pretoria Road, moved to Halstead from Chelmsford last summer to launch her Rebel Nails business.

She got her big breakthrough at London Fashion Week after being asked to join the team by Suzanne Clayton from Nails by Souz & Co.

Emma said: “Due to my presence and posts on social media, my work was seen by Suzanne who thought my design work would be a great fit for the team.

“Getting this opportunity to work in the fashion industry has been so exciting and a real dream come true.”

During the show, she will be working alongside French fashion designer Pierre Garroudi.

Emma said: “I qualified as a nail technician back in April 2016.

“I am a single mum of two little girls so after working for two years in a salon, I decided it was time to give myself a better work and home life balance and set up Rebel Nails as my own business.

“I have been running it now for 18 months and business is going well.

“I specialise in acrylic but do a lot of hand-painted designs.

“I studied art at GCSE and A-level and have a fine art diploma specialising in Fashion.

“Fashion has always been my dream, but life choices took me down a different path.”

Emma says becoming an ambassador for nail brand Gelica in May has opened doors for her such as working at London Fashion Week.

She added: “I am really looking forward to attending fashion week.

“I am working behind the scenes applying custom-made tips to models for the Pierre Garroudi show on Sunday.

“It’s going to be a super pressurised environment which is nothing like what I am used to, but I know it’s something I am going to love and is taking me in the direction I want to go within my career.

“Nerves are great if you use them correctly.”

Pierre Garroudi has showcased his futuristic designs at fashion weeks in New York, Paris and London.