Ellen Wille: A Woman, A Company, A Brand

Ellen Wille is a self-made hair icon, and her name has become synonymous with quality, perfection, and uniqueness. Built by the namesake herself, Ellen began her wig journey in the 1960s and has expanded the company to the global brand that it is today. In celebration of Women’s History Month (March), we wanted to share our love for the female-owned business and the woman herself! Read on to learn more about the woman, the company, and the brand.

‘60s - ‘70s

Ellen Wille's professional career began with a suitcase full of ideas. After living in Paris and London, Ellen returned to Frankfurt, Germany with inspiration from these fashion capitals. Soon after, she founded her company and focused on the foundation of fashionable hair trends. With the popularity of wigs as a fashion accessory in the '60s and '70s, the female-owned company had great success and expanded. During this time, hairpieces were added to the brand's selection, and growth to the U.S. and Asia began!

‘80s - ‘00s

During the '80s, Ellen established many brand elements that we still see today. The curly logo of Ellen Wille became a key identifier for the company, and Ellen Wille Wigs were advertised with the slogan "the one with the golden curl." 

Into the '90s, Ellen's business was booming, and the demand for her gorgeous products was growing. With this success, Ellen Wille had the chance to expand from a small, specialist shop to a corporate headquarters in Schwalbach am Taunus. The additional space allowed the brand to accommodate the growth of employees as well as the storage space needed to support its customers.

With over 150 employees, the atmosphere remained family-oriented while providing excellent communication and service for their customers. Both the designer and the brand have stood by their commitment to providing the highest quality products inspired by international trends.

The New Millennium

Ellen Wille channeled her ideas into various new lines and collections starting off the new millennium. The hair designer created specialized collections for men as well as a fashionable headwear line. The most notable collections created at that time were the human hair collections. Ellen Wille introduced Prime Hair to the market; this fiber is an advanced mix of human hair and heat-friendly synthetic fiber that gives the client the best of both fibers. Ellen would continue to innovate in the following years. She received several awards for her creative and entrepreneurial work, including the Randy Martin Lifetime Achievement Award as a Hair Icon.

In 2011, the Hair Society Collection received the award for the Most Beautiful Collection at the World Congress for Hair Solutions. During those awards, one Ellen Wille wig (Aura) won the award for Lightest Wig. The company and the founder cemented their reputation for truly beautiful and high-quality wigs through these achievements. 

In 2017, the company celebrated its 50th Anniversary, an important milestone for both the company and Ellen herself. In honor of their 50 years of success, the hair designer established a non-profit organization called the Ellen Wille Foundation. This organization focuses on youth welfare, education, and vocational training. 

In 2019, the company introduced permanently integrated men's systems, including toupees. The company expanded the Frankfurt store and salon to accommodate the company growth and the new men's line. 

With over 5000 clients in more than 50 countries, the company and hair designer has had great success in the last 50 years!

The Future of Ellen Wille

What's next for Ellen Wille and the company? The self-made hair designer continues to be involved in every detail of all designs - from the first idea to the finishing touches. Her passion for wig perfection is evident, and she states, "For me, a wig is much more than a solution or a fashion accessory. It's an expression of personal style." 

We continue to see Ellen's vision in her designs. All aspects of an individual style are unique. Each style is perfected from the hair fiber to the color blend to the cap design to ensure the client gets the most beautiful look, natural movement, and comfortable fit. 

Ellen's commitment to quality shapes the corporate philosophy of the brand. With quality and business cooperation at the company's foundation, we know we will see even more gorgeous designs, innovation, and global expansion from the brand in the future.