Brynels

Product innovation with a creative partner

Brynels Hats & Accessories used creative support to develop a new product concept for people experiencing hair loss.

Brynels Hats & Accessories is a small family-run business. Owner Vivean Pomell offers a bespoke design service to customers looking for a hat or headpiece for a special occasion.

"Over the years I've worked with a number of female customers who've experienced hair loss through alopecia, receiving treatment for cancer or other reasons. I've seen at first hand the dramatic effect hair loss can have on confidence and self-esteem," says Vivean. "All I was able to do was offer support to these customers - I didn't have any products that were specifically designed for their needs. I started to think about ways of combining a hat and a hairpiece to create a high-quality, stylish item that would help to make the wearer feel good about themselves again."

Developing the concept

Vivean applied for support from a similar scheme and formed a partnership with a creative provider to develop her product idea. "I knew that I'd need a lot of technical input to turn the idea into an actual product that I could offer to my customers," explains Vivean. "The partnership has worked really well, with my millinery and design expertise fitting together with their technical knowledge."

The creative provider explored a range of materials which could be used in the product, with the aim of finding fibres which would be comfortable for the wearer and potentially offer healing qualities. The prototype for the combined hat and hairpiece features an innovative fabric structure which means that Vivean has been able to submit a patent application for the product. Vivean's work also received a special recognition award at the British Female Inventors and Innovators Awards 2008.

Forming partnerships

The creative partnership has brought Vivean into contact with a number of other potential partners and stakeholders. The NHS Centre for Healthcare Innovation & Development and the Health Design & Technology Institute are both interested in working with Brynels to continue the development of the product, for example through product testing and user trials.

Vivean comments: "The scheme has been a real springboard for us. What started with a simple request for support has led to some really interesting and exciting partnerships that will help us to refine the product and - when we're ready - to distribute it to customers who could really benefit from it. The relationships we've established will be crucial in helping us to take our business to the next level."