🫲 Meet Mrs. Nicole D. Gélinas!
✨ Co-founder, CEO, and a true pillar of Aspasie, Nicole Gélinas has long been a guide and source of inspiration for her sons, her grandchildren, and the entire team. Still active on the executive committee, she oversees the company’s growth strategy with both rigor and kindness.
Though officially retired, Nicole hasn’t slowed down. She devotes generous energy to philanthropy—serving on various committees, notably as an honorary ambassador for the Fondation Santé de Trois-Rivières fundraising campaign—and last year published her first book, both biographical and inspiring, aimed at women who want to start a business. As for her passion for swatchbooks, it’s as strong and vibrant as ever!
📔 Mrs. Gélinas, what’s your favorite part of creating a swatch book?
“For me, it’s always that very first meeting with a color line creator preparing their first swatch book. Their sense of wonder when they discover the precision and demand of the process—from crafting a single strand to the full layout—moves me every time. Watching our team’s energy and professionalism bring their project to life is still a magical moment.”
💇♀️ Do you have a favorite color?
“If you look through our archives, you’ll quickly spot my bias… for vivid shades that brighten the complexion! But yes, I do have a favorite: red. Not just any red—the pure, luminous kind, like 6.6RR!”
🎾 Tell us something most people don’t know about you?
Nicole loves tennis. “For years I played up to three times a week, my favorite player is Rafaël Nadal. I even a photo with him that I cherish very much, I went as far as acquiring a pair of his tennis shoes at a benefit auction.
🎓 Training that served you especially well:
I am proud of getting a graduate degree in board administration from of Université Laval, this allowed me to serve on dozens of boards over my career, notably National Bank of Canada, the Port of Trois-Rivières, and the Société des alcools du Québec.
😅 What was your worst hair day?
“When my hair suddenly gets full of static and puffs out in every direction! I’m naturally curly and I straighten my hair every day. But if I pull off a sweater carelessly… pyramid head is guaranteed!”
🙌 What are you the most proud of about Aspasie
“When Gaston and I started with hairpieces, we could never have imagined that Aspasie would become—and still be, 55 years later—a trusted partner to legendary brands like Wella, Schwarzkopf, Joico, Goldwell, L’Oréal Professionnel, RUSK, Aveda, Aloxxi… and also to innovative young brands like MyDentity, Pravana, OYA, Good Dye Young, or Luc Vincent Coloration.
🤩 But my greatest pride is seeing our sons Maxim, David, and Antoine take up the torch with courage and vision: steering through the pandemic, strengthening our ESG goals, innovating with more eco-friendly products and processes, and accelerating our digital shift. Aspasie’s future looks more colorful than ever.”
🧑🤝🧑 Stay tuned for more in our “Meet the Aspasie Team” series!
