Inspired choices | Creating the Nailberry palette

Inspired choices | Creating the Nailberry palette

From day one, Nailberry has adopted a proudly individualistic and comparatively unconventional approach to business. Our brand was established with a firm commitment to making nail colour healthy... The result? Breathable, vegan-friendly premium polishes free of harsh chemicals and available in a range of exceptionally desirable hues.

Indeed, Nailberry colours have consistently been revered by customers and beauty editors alike for being versatile, wearable, timeless yet also always on trend. 

 …So what’s our founder’s secret to creating such a pleasing colour palette? Is it down to using trend forecasters, fashion houses or consumer intelligence agencies? Not quite. It is, in fact, inspired by something far closer to home…

“Coco Chanel famously said “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” I couldn’t put it better myself. Nailberry colours have never come from catwalk trends or seasonal predictions. They’re simply inspired by the pleasure I take from my travels and life experiences.”
Sonia Hully, Nailberry Founder

Vivid fabrics and exquisite lacework unearthed in backstreet bazaars and independent boutiques; the beauty seen in surrounding nature whatever country she is in; the different modes of art encountered during her travels – Sonia attributes every hue in the Nailberry line to something she has personally experienced. 

“I travel quite extensively with both my family and for work, and take great pleasure in opening my eyes and mind to the broad-ranging beauty around me. Seasons, locations, cultures, lifestyles – they each have something to offer in the form of inspiration from fashion, art or nature… and I soak it all up.” 

With such diverse inspiration, you may expect our collection to be larger in number… yet Sonia has consciously kept it in check, choosing colours that will always look great on nails without ending up with shades that are superfluous to requirements. 

“I only select what I deem to be timeless and wearable shades. Yes, I have fun with seasonal hues, which we launch as limited editions, but it’s important that the range remains well-reasoned; that there is a polish to matching our every moods and styles.”

This broad base of inspiration has extended also beyond the Nailberry colour palette.  Our polish bottle, rather than taking the conventional rounded shape so many others in our industry do, was styled more in line premium perfume bottles; ensuring they look far more desirable and neat on your dressing table. Alongside this, Sonia’s love of nature comes across very strongly in the imagery we use across our brand and products, while it also ensures those partners we work with are as committed to protecting its future sustainability and abundance, both via strong environmental credentials and their stance on animal welfare. 

“Although hardly scientific, when it has come to Nailberry, I’ve relied entirely on my gut instinct and how things I encounter have made me feel. So far, however, this seems to be working. Nature and life in general award us so many wonderful ideas and I look forward to sharing more with you in future launches. Watch this space!”