mother+ meets…Talitha Mackie, founder and CEO of Fox & Vamp
Welcome to Mother+ Meets… our interview series spotlighting women who are building brilliant things while also building a family. These are the stories behind the headlines, from late nights and bold pivots, to the quieter, less visible moments that shape everything.
This week, we meet Talitha Mackie, founder and CEO of Fox & Vamp, the luxury hair extension and haircare brand she launched in 2019. From postpartum hair loss and the link between hair and identity to building a business while raising two children, we spoke to Talitha about confidence, comparison and the four burner rule that keeps her sane.
Tell us a little about what you do and what led you here.
I'm the founder and CEO of Fox & Vamp, a hair extensions and haircare brand. We have our flagship salon on Walton Street in Chelsea, a haircare line that was first to market for hair extension wearers specifically, and an accredited training academy. It started in 2019 out of my own frustration. I wore extensions myself and couldn't find any that actually looked like my hair, that were natural-looking and accessible. So I set out to build what I couldn't buy.
What does a typical day look like for you, if there is such a thing?
There genuinely isn't one, because there are so many different aspects to the business. But I'm a routine girl who protects her early mornings fiercely. That time before my household wakes up is mine. The time difference between Dubai and London actually works in my favour: my mornings are calm before London wakes up, and then the day gets pretty hectic. Lots of calls, meetings, planning and visiting salons who supply our hair here.
Many women say they lose a little of themselves after having children, and something as simple as getting their hair done can make them feel like 'them' again. Has working so closely with women changed the way you think about confidence and identity?
Completely. I truly believe confidence and identity are tied hugely to our hair. It's the first thing people see, and the first thing you see in the mirror. Our core client is a woman in exactly this stage of life, who's experienced thinning, hormonal change or postpartum loss, and what she says in the chair is never really about hair. It's "I want to feel like myself again." That sentence built a huge part of this business. Extensions get dismissed as vanity, but this is identity. When a woman looks in the mirror and recognises herself, everything shifts.
And I've lived it. I went through postpartum hair loss myself, and having my hair treated and supported with extensions while it grew back helped my confidence hugely. It let me feel like myself through it all. Giving other women that feeling, instantly, means the world to me.
How has motherhood shaped how you work or how you define success?
There's been an interesting shift. Before kids I was very risk heavy, I had more nerve. These days there's more at stake. Success isn't the turnover number anymore. It's whether I built something I'm proud of without disappearing from my children's lives to do it. This business takes time away from my family every single day, and would I be prepared to do that for something I didn't believe in and love? Absolutely not.
It's all about trade offs, and five years into motherhood, two kids later, I've accepted that I can't be 100% great at everything all the time. If my kids are sick, they're sick and I'm there, end of. If something has to launch or a deadline has to be met, my time goes there. It's a juggle, and I've made peace with that.
What do you wish people understood about building something from scratch?
That it's mostly unglamorous. People see the Space NK launch or the Chelsea salon open, and not the supplier negotiations, the heartache of being told no, the leaks in the roof, the staffing issues, the legal headaches. Instagram isn't real, it's a highlight reel. Most people give up because, truthfully, it's hard. So make sure you love what you do, because that's what gets you showing up every single day.
Where do you find your energy, and what drains it?
Energy comes from being at home, family time, early evenings, wellness and taking care of myself and my family. What drains it is interesting: I'm very sensitive to people's energy. If someone's a zapper, it can take me days to recover. I protect myself from that fiercely, and it's something I won't tolerate in our team culture either. It's a big no from me.
What's one decision that changed everything?
The moment I stopped comparing my business to other people's success. I used to constantly measure us against much bigger brands and put insane pressure on myself. I never celebrated a single milestone because I was always looking ahead to the next thing. The day I decided to change that, I became a much, much happier person, and honestly, a better founder.
The beauty industry has become increasingly driven by trends, TikTok and quick fixes. Do you think women are becoming more informed consumers, and where do you think luxury beauty is heading next?
Women are far more informed, and I love it. They read ingredient lists now. That's exactly why we built our Fox & Vamp clinically formulated system, Care Full Complex, the way we did, removing over 500 ingredients that damage extension bonds, because an informed customer rewards substance. As for where luxury is heading, I would say away from quick fixes and toward quiet expertise. Fewer, better things, done properly.
What does balance mean to you right now?
Let's be really honest, it doesn't exist, and I'm okay with that. I live by the four burner rule: you can't have every burner on at once, so choose what you're focusing on in this phase of your life. Trying to do it all is just a fast route to burnout.
And finally, what's one thing you'd tell other women who are trying to do both: raise a family and a business?
Give yourself a break, and don't compare. You don't know anybody else's journey, and comparison will steal your joy. Enjoy the ride even when it feels like a rollercoaster, because one day the kids will be big with lives of their own. Take deep breaths through the hard times and remember: we'll crave these days one day.
QUICK FIRE ROUND
Current bedside book? Anything in the self help and manifestation space. Gabby Bernstein is always on my nightstand.
Go-to podcast or playlist when you need a boost? Lewis Howes and How I Built This for podcasts. My playlist is wildly eclectic, anything from HUGEL to Zach Bryan depending on my mood.
Favourite place to eat with kids, and without? I love both, but if I had to choose... without. Sorry, kids.
A mantra, quote or reminder you come back to? Feel the fear and do it anyway. If it doesn't scare you, it isn't big enough.