tLimelight Extensions, a Detroit-based luxury hair extensions brand, has opened its global flagship retail store and beauty bar in Farmington Hills and intends to operate four sites in metro Detroit area within the next two years.
t“In this business, you have to hit hard and fast,” says Malesa Plater, co-founder along with her daughter, Miranda Jade Plater.
tLocated along Orchard Lake Road, Limelight offers customers a luxury setting — including chandeliers and posh seating — as they shop for hair extensions and have them fitted on site. Plater says they chose the location mainly because there’s “no competition.”
t“When I used to buy hair (before founding Limelight), I had to go into Southfield to do it,” says Plater, who lives in Bloomfield Hills. “There’s nothing like this out here.”
tThe duo behind the Limelight Extensions brand first began researching hair extensions by sending different selections to women in cities such as New York and Detroit. “They would test out the hair for us and tell us if they liked it,” Plater says. “We wanted to know, ‘Does it tangle? Does it dry out?’”
tThe hair that made the cut — Diamond Life (premium 6A hair from Russia), Cambodian, Malaysian, and Peruvian — received Limelight Extensions’ stamp of approval and is now available through the shop for anywhere from $95 to $275. Hair that didn’t pass the test and does not carry the Limelight Extensions’ brand name can purchased in bundles for as low as $65, but Plater says the hair can be worn only about for about six weeks.
tPlater says that after the business makes an impression in metro Detroit, she and her daughter plan to expand Limelight Extensions further into the state. For now, the business is in the midst of hiring staff and expects to employ nine people at its Farmington Hills location.
tThe store is hosting a grand opening event from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 24. The event at the shop, 30969 Orchard Lake Rd., is open to the public and will include discounts, food, drinks, and music.
