On days when I absolutely hate my hair or want to add a little accessory, my go-to is a claw clip. Since I use a variety of different shapes and sizes, I was curious about the origin of the claw clip and how it has become the phenomenon it is today.
The Invention
The claw clip was invented in the 1980s by a French businessman named Christian Potut, who wanted to combine a clip and a comb. He was able to manufacture the first ones in France, where his company CSP Diffusion was based. Although he was the original creator, he didn’t patent the design. He was primarily inspired by the “banana clip” and sought a way for women to pull back their hair without using hair ties and pins.
Rise and fall in popularity
By the 1990s, every woman had a claw clip in her hand, due to its practical nature. As they gained popularity, the types of claw clips expanded, featuring variations in size, texture, and color. They began to create small, colorful clips, as well as larger ones.
After the 90s, the claw clip began to lose touch in the fashion world. Clean and sleek hairstyles became more popular, which meant that fewer people were chasing the aesthetically messy look of claw clips.
The resurgence
In recent years, claw clips have made a significant return. The revival of Y2K trends and social media has helped bring this hair staple back into the spotlight, now with even more types and shapes. People have invented various types of claw clips, including soft, flat, and oddly shaped ones, such as those resembling fish and French fries, as well as some made from metal. This resurgence was due to the easy and gentle nature of the clips, as they make it easy to secure hair into a clip, thereby avoiding breakage and heat damage.
Because of creativity and social media, I am excited to see what the next claw clip trend emerges!