The Hair Collective

An inclusive space for hair artistry, sustainable beauty and community.

The co-founders of The Hair Collective approached us with a pioneering vision for a salon that could serve as a second home for their hair artists, clients and Madison’s local business and art scene. Their uplifting, education-focused, eco-friendly space on Willy Street would be a place where artistry, expression, connection and growth could happen for all.

We developed The Hair Collective brand to function as a flexible visual system bringing cohesion to a diverse collection of individual co-creator sub-brands.

The essence of the brand embodies Billie & Harlow’s vision for the space—inviting, art-forward, eclectic, conscious and sophisticated—and is rooted in the belief that when many unique and talented individuals come together, extraordinary things happen.

Purpose:
Reimagining the hair salon as a sustainable space where artistry, expression, connection and growth happens for all.

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Research
Brand Strategy
Positioning
Internal Identity
Visual Identity
Sub-Brands
Messaging
Website
Implementation
Brand Activation

MANIFESTO

THE HAIR COLLECTIVE ISN'T A HAIR SALON. IT'S A SECOND HOME.

It's an inclusive and sustainable space where beauty is simply about helping people feel more like themselves. Our shop is a container for artistry, expression, connection and growth—designed to spark meaningful interactions that inspire, educate, uplift and bring people together. This is a fortifying environment where local hair artists care for clients, co-create with peers, nurture their businesses and engage with the Madison community. At The Hair Collective, we believe that there is great power in community. That caring is badass. That co-creation and knowledge-sharing are more valuable than competition. We believe that sustainable products, policies and practices are a powerful way to take care of ourselves, each other and our planet. And above all, we believe that when a vibrant collection of humans with manifold backgrounds, skills, interests and dreams come together, extraordinary things happen.

WELCOME TO THE HAIR COLLECTIVE.

YOU BELONG HERE.

“If you’re a new business, working with Emily is essential. We came to her with a very broad vision and a ton of ideas. Emily was able to make sense of it all and create a brand that is somehow is so perfect- we couldn’t even have imagined it being this great! She was helpful, insightful, and really fun to work with. Emily guided us every step of the way and made the whole process feel really comfortable - our zoom meetings were the highlight of my week. I highly recommended Emily and I’m excited and proud to share what she helped us create with the world.”

— Harlow Ebbert, Hair Artist & Salon Owner.

“Emily was able to take the vision and ideas in our heads and make them reality. She captured and organized our thoughts through her attention to not only our visual brand, but also the identity and essence of what we stand for. Her work is so much more then branding, so finds your brands soul.”

— Billie Mckichan, Hair Artist & Salon Owner.