My Big Idea #77 – How to become a nail artist

Twenty-something nail art pro and product designer Emma Zentner talks to ASOS editor at large Danielle Radojcin about how she has built her reputation as one of London’s most in-demand nail artists with Boom Nails and how she’s also transferred her design skills to launch Boom Things, making beautifully decorated mobile phone covers. Londoner Emma’s nail art career started off as a hobby during her graphic design degree at Bristol UWE. Inspired by the success of WAH Nails and the sudden explosion in nail art, Emma started experimenting, then dreaming up and creating designs for her friends and other students. After graduation, Emma founded Boom Nails in 2011, which took off through word-of-mouth and industry recommendation. Boom Nails creates hand-painted nail art – specialising in intricate, bespoke designs – for magazines, individuals, corporate clients, events and products. Emma has worked with clients including Tate Modern, adidas, Urban Outfitters, Virgin Media, Boots, Boohoo, o2, Victoria Miro Gallery and Smashbox, and her handiwork has featured in publications such as Grazia, i-D online and Garage. Keen to deploy her talents elsewhere, Emma launched Boom Things in 2014 as she wanted to design products, too, such as mobile phone cases (now available at ASOS). With ambitions to expand her product range into homewares and stationery, Emma’s dream collaboration would be with Liberty to create wallpapers for the iconic department store. Here’s Emma’s big idea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.