Naami’s Wigs thrives in the heart of Baltimore’s vibrant Orthodox Jewish community.
In business since 2020, owner Naami Glaser Kirschner, 23, specializes in wig repairs and cap alterations to customize the fit to a woman’s head for comfort and style. Kirschner also provides washes and sets.
Many Orthodox Jewish women cover their hair as a sign of marriage. They do not show their hair in public after their wedding. With a headscarf or a wig – referred to in Yiddish as a sheitel – they signal to their surroundings that they are married and that they comply with traditional notions of propriety.
Kirschner also works with women with hair loss, but the majority of her customers are Orthodox women. “Sometimes, customers just want to switch things up. Everyone has their own reason for coming in,” she said.
Kirschner takes high-end custom orders from Wigs by Tamar in Brooklyn, which advertises “where comfort meets luxury.” The human hair wigs can cost in the thousands and the price keeps going up. “It really hurts a little bit when I tell customers the price,” Kirschner said.
Kirschner also sources more affordable wigs from companies in China and Russia.
She also designs hairlines that seamlessly mimic a natural hairline by working with the sheer lace material adorning the forehead. “It winds up feeling just like you when you look in the mirror,” she said.
As the Orthodox Jewish community grows, the need for wigs grows. There are other wig businesses in Baltimore, she said. “It’s a really wonderful community.”
