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Kimi Chang

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Kimi Chang

Kimi Chang is the CEO of Shanghai Chiyan Abrasives Co and the host of the first Nailympia China to be held in August 2024 in Hangzhou. Not a typical abrasives company – the team at Chiyan is all about bringing a modern twist to everything it produces. From production and research to development, sales, and service, Chiyan is proud to work from one of the coolest native factories around, specializing in crafting top-quality products like sanding bands, carbide bits, ceramic bits, diamond bits, sanding caps, and more! Talking to Alex Fox in Shanghai, Kimi Chang explains the company’s direction, vision and dedication to quality and expanding its relationships around the global nail industry.
Due to limited space for subtitles, here's a better idea of the mission that Kimi Chang is putting in motion to establish strong business relations with China and other countries worldwide across the nail industry.
``The nail industry in China is not as competent as it could be. There is no consistent standard. Every company has their own standard, but no standard as a country, as a whole. The nail techs who use the products don’t understand the products well enough, they don’t know how the products work, when they choose products, they choose from price only. There is little to no professionalism.
``There is no company who is willing to take up the responsibility. So I wish for my company to step in and help to raise the standards. I want to do this job, I want to standardise the nail industry in China so it progresses well.
``I know it’s not easy to do and there will be lots of work behind it, but I hope my company will connect Western nail techs with Chinese nails techs and together they can work towards progress.
``So we can do this systematically, and agree consistently. So we can work from the top to the bottom and from the bottom to the top, right across the industry.
``At Nailymnpia Germany 2023 I got to experience the competition floor firsthand. I saw the concentration on the competition floor and the artistic mentality of each competitor. Then, after they got their recognition from the judges and being placed, I felt their excitement, happiness and honour. These feelings are what I want to bring to China for the Chinese nail techs. Because there is nothing similar in China, there is no ‘sense of value of identity’. Nail techs work very hard for their craft and they are never recognised for their hard work. They are considered as innovators and artists, but their hard work is always undervalued.
``When I saw all the emotions on the competition arena, I wanted to bring those emotions to China. I want to give them a place to show off what they can do and get the judges, the world's best nail artists around the globe, to approve and recognise their work. Most people don’t know how much work goes into making a set of nails. It can take 4-5 hours for a set of perfect nails. So I want to create a platform for them, for everyone to be involved.
``The whole world can benefit from one standard competition - from Nailympia. Every country around the globe can be involved and show off their specific skills and craft.
There is no one who is the best, every country has their nail industry to showcase to the world. Beauty is different from country to country - in every culture. The Chinese want to show the rest of the world what beautiful nails Chinese nail artists can create.
Thank you very much for your ‘appearance’ in our lives Alex Fox and the persistence and drive you have for Nailympia.``

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Lisa Boone | Artist of the Month

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Lisa Boone

Veteran nail artist & educator Lisa Boone began her nail sojourn in the 1980's as a hand model before transitioning to creative force behind the nail desk

Article by Alex Fox | Published in 2023

Lisa Boone has over 20 years’ experience in the nail industry. The wide berth of knowledge she’s accrued has taken her from behind the chair, to the competition circuit and researching innovative products to assisting technicians in their quest to create better products and services in the salon. Lisa began her career as a nail tech in Chicago in one of its first nail-only salons and soon became the award-winning hands behind Tom Holcomb’s world champion nails. After traveling the competition circuit for over 15 years, she became intrigued with developing winning formulations and cultivated a love for researching new and improved products for the industry.

Playing a crucial role in the R&D of new formulations for various industry manufacturers, Lisa has since won awards for both packaging and new product development in the beauty industry. As well being cited for best new product awards by industry professionals and magazines across the globe. Lisa is proud to consult for many local up-scale salon start-ups, on topics including location choice, design, establishing products lines and vendor relations, staffing and training, as well as ongoing management functions. This allows Lisa to ensure the quality of salons in her local market and aids in her quest to elevate her local nail industry.

Lisa has judged for the 2nd World Championships, is a staple on the global judging circuit for Nailympia Competitions worldwide and can be seen all over the world as an international educator.

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