Lulu Wilcox: freelance stylist on her Loved by Lulu headwear brand for cancer victims

A Kiwi fashion stylist has turned personal loss into a new purpose.

Inspired by her auntie's cancer battle, Lulu Wilcox has created 'Loved by Lulu' a range of headwear for women struggling with hair loss from the likes of chemotherapy. 

Wilcox says she wanted to create something that gives back, and offers people comfort during tough times. 

"This has come about, Loved by Lulu, and I'm very, very passionate about it and I've been in the fashion industry for so long, I just felt that the need to give back and provide something for everybody navigating this journey." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Edb love you to have you with us right. A
key We fashion stylist has turned personal loss into a
new purpose. Inspired by her auntie's cancer battle, Lulu Wilcox
has created Loved by Lulu, a range of headwear for
women struggling with hair loss from the likes of chemotherapy.
Lulu Wilcox joins me, now, good.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Morning, Good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
First, can we chat about the inspiration behind Loved by Lulu.
Tell me about your Auntie, Helen.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yeah, Well, this was actually born from a deep place
of love and loss, and it was inspired by my
beautiful auntie who bravely faced illness and hair loss before passing.
And I watched her journey and suddenly thought firsthand the strength, grace,
and obviously resilience they carry even in the most vulnerable moments.
So I wanted to create something that I could give back,
something that offers comfort, support and a bit of dignity

(00:59):
and a touch of glamour during the most difficult times.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
She died of ovarian cancer aged sixty one, and you
did your nurse her through a lot of that period
of time, didn't you, Yes, I did.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
So this is a bit of a tribute to her
spirit and every woman navigating sickness, recovery and change. So yeah,
I've yeah, this has come about loved by Lulu, and
I'm very very passionate about it, and been in the
fashion industry for so long, I just felt the need
to be able to give back and provide something for
everybody navigating this journey.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
How did Helen's hair loss impact her?

Speaker 3 (01:35):
Oh, very much, so, yeah, it was.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
I mean, look, I mean everybody going through these hormonal
whether it you know, be chemo, canter, whatever times and
periods of whatever it navigated. It actually was a lot.
It was really hard on her and it was one
thing that she did say to me before she passed
was she really didn't want anyone to see her without
her hair. So so yeah, it was. Yes, it was

(02:02):
a big It was a big time and journey for
her for her experiencing that.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Did you have other conversations with other women around the
impact of hair loss.

Speaker 3 (02:12):
Yes, I did, yeah, and most of most of these
people that came back to me when I was navigating
the actual process of the fabrics, et cetera. They all
came back to me and see that there was just
nothing really available here in New Zealand, or if sure
that they could actually you know, have something that they
could look and feel good in as well. So the
process of me actually finding the fabrics and going through

(02:35):
all that navigation has been a bit of a journey,
but I've managed to get there, and yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
Taught me through a little bit the process of getting
this range up and running.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
Oh yes, well, I've had to go through a lot
of a lot of well I've been approved by the
Ministry of Health to get this, get this underway, and
to do that, I had to go through the navigation
of specific here, specific fabrics due to the chemotherapy because
of obviously you know, the medical side of things with

(03:05):
itching and yeah, and being uncomfortable with temperature, et cetera.
So so, yeah, it's been a bit of a journey,
but I'm finally there and excited for this.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
That's really interesting. So it wasn't just a matter of
coming up with a wonderful style. There was quite a
lot to think about.

Speaker 3 (03:21):
Oh absolutely. At first I thought it might have been
just something that would be you know, an easy process,
but but not so much and obviously, you know, I've
been in the fashion industry for a long time and
and my career was Throughout my career, I've seen how
fashion can can transform confidence and individuality, and and I've

(03:44):
always helped make women feel confident and seen, and I
wanted to bring that through into these turbans. It's about feeling,
It's yeah, I wanted to bring that same feeling of
empowerment to woman experiencing the hair loss. And so that's
how I created this, this journey. It's about, you know,
the difficult moments and feeling comfort and beauty and grace
while they're going through this. And this is a design

(04:07):
to honor not only a woman's beauty, but their bravery.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
My friends who have had cancer, you know, some of
them love the worg. Some of them really hated the wig.
So it's wonderful to have another option, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (04:20):
Oh? Absolutely yes. And through the the process of going
through the medical heir loss with the Ministry of Health,
the each each chemo patient actually gets a government grant,
I mean our Ministry of Health grant that that goes
through as a subsidy for them, whether it be for

(04:43):
headwear or wigs and so this is just another another
alternative for them.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Fantastic. So you can use the headwear subsidy to purchase these.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yes, absolutely so the process you normally involves speaking with
the GP or nurse and completing a form and then
applying for the funding towards the head turbine or a
head piece and so of'. Once my website is up
and running and the next week or two, their process
will be very easy. I know that navigating those sorts
of forms and all the admin around that is quite difficult,

(05:13):
so I've wanted to make this as easy as possible
for women to be able to access and support this
with ease.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
Lulu. What's been the response from those who have tried
the turbans?

Speaker 3 (05:24):
Well, I haven't actually had too many trial them as yet,
but from you know a few couple of friends and
family that have been going through this stuff, really yeah,
it's yeah, It's something that I think is going to
be yeah, really special. I mean, I obviously love color,
and so the other optional head where that they could

(05:46):
possibly only really find was something too neutral and actually
didn't make them feel feel good about themselves. That this
is a little the color options that I'm providing is
going to be something that's going to make them feel
a little bit different because color makes you, makes you
feel different in every way.

Speaker 1 (06:01):
Lulu.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
People can check them out on Instagram loved by Lulu.
Is that correct?

Speaker 3 (06:06):
That's correct? Loved by Lulu. And and yes, please feel
free to you know, you know, DM me in regards
to any questions or anything at the moment before the
website gets up and running. So yeah, these fabrics are soft,
sort of velve, soft velvet with bamboo lining and breathable,
stretchy and comfort a couple of other things. As they

(06:28):
are ready too weir so there's no complications with ties
or adjustments. And yeah, very sensitive, very fit for sensitive scalps.

Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, Lulo, I think Helen would be very proud.

Speaker 3 (06:40):
Oh thank you, Yes, she would be. Yes. And it's
a shame I didn't get this up from running prior.
But this is this is what's brought me to this,
and it's about making you know, everyone feel every woman
deserves to feel beautiful, strong, confident and seene and these
turbans are a tribute to that. And as I say,
they're like a hug and a cloth.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
Lula, really nice to meet you. Thank you so much
for your time this morning.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
For more from the Sundays with Francesca Rudkin, listen live
to News Talks at B from nine am Sunday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio