By Kim Sampson (AVFS CEO)
It is not widely known but the Vietnamese who moved to the USA at the end of the war in Viet Nam, went on to develop a $10 billion nail salon industry. They now own over 50% of all nail salons in the US.
It came about because of a chance encounter with the actress Tippi Hedren, who played the lead in Alfred Hitchkock’s 1963 film, “The Birds”. The movie earned her a Golden Globe for her performance, and she began receiving offers to work with some of Hollywood’s top leading men, including Marlon Brando and Gregory Peck. She had signed a seven-year contract with Hitchcock, and it appeared her future was set. However, Hitchcock became infatuated with her and proceeded to make advances, which she refused. As a result, Hitchcock became vindictive, preventing her from participating in any more movies, effectively destroying her career.
Around 1975 Tippi Hedren began working as an international relief coordinator for the Food for the Hungry charity, where she would visit refugee camps (in the days when the USA would welcome refugees). On one occasion she visited a camp which was populated by Vietnamese women. Those in the camp were fascinated by Tippi’s manicured, polished nails. So, Tippi flew in her personal manicurist to teach twenty Vietnamese women the art of the manicure.
The boredom of camp existence meant they now had something interesting to do. Tippi assisted them with English, so they were able to sit for the relevant exams. When they graduated, she went out job hunting for them.
The original trainees became instructors, who taught others in the refugee camps. The subsequent trainees either became instructors themselves, or started working in existing nail salons, and ultimately starting their own salons. This enabled a financial independence that had never seemed possible to them.
In California today, Vietnamese women make up 80% of the nail technicians in that state.