Suzi Weiss-Fischmann
Life is full of surprises; the path we plan isn’t always the one we follow, but that’s the beauty of it, and this was the case for OPI. Founded by Hungarian-born entrepreneur, George Schaeffer, in North Hollywood, California in 1981, the brand’s beginnings were not in nails, but dentistry – as Odontorium Products Inc. George noticed that many of his clients were nail technicians buying dental adhesive for acrylic extensions, and decided to team up with his sister-in-law, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann – now known as the ‘First Lady of Nails’, to better accommodate this demographic. Now, 45 years later, OPI is globally renowned for its nail colour and care products that have captured the hearts of pros, clients and consumers alike.
But there’s more to OPI than products: high-quality education, community and connection have supported the brand’s success, as Suzi Weiss-Fischmann shares: “OPI is so much larger than the sum of its parts. The OPI aura has truly taken on a life of its own and become something much larger, more beautiful and diverse than we alone could have ever imagined or authored.”
George and Suzi captured interest in the beginning with the ‘OPI rubber band special’: acrylic powder, liquid and primer rubber-banded together. They took this to salons on Ventura Boulevard, Los Angeles, and from this, the brand was able to launch Nail Lacquer in the late 1980s. This is where OPI’s brand personality really started to shine, as Suzi sought to fill a gap in the market, previously telling Scratch: “The nail category didn’t offer women anything personal or relevant to their lives, with basic colours and generic, one-size-fits-all names.”
‘‘A dedication to sharing knowledge, alongside worldclass colour and innovation, has driven OPI’s success for 45 years.‘‘
Eve Joyner
Colour magic
Determined to create change, Suzi sought for each OPI nail colour to be a ‘message in a bottle’, evoking feelings and connections. Nail Lacquer wasn’t just iconic in its shapely bottle design, but for its playful and memorable shade names like Alpine Snow and Malaga Wine, which excited nail colour enthusiasts – and continue to do so.
OPI Nail Boss, Eve Joyner, shares: “The fun names of the colours are a real talking point with my clients. They often ask where the names come from, and as they’re memorable, they request shades by name. Each collection, collaboration and colour has a story to tell. Clients connect with this and services feel creative and enjoyable as a result.”
In a 2019 LinkedIn post, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann shared: “Naming is such a fun and interactive process. It takes a full day to name a collection, and the name of a single shade might happen very quickly, or might be deliberated, shelved and revisited. Many of OPI’s names are intentionally funny, designed to make people laugh, and others are imbued with personal meaning for their wearers – like Mimosas for Mr. and Mrs. worn at an engagement party, or It’s A Boy! and It’s A Girl! used to announce a pregnancy.”
Originally, each OPI collection was inspired by a destination, such as the Fiji, Muse of Milan and New York City collections.
Victoria Howse
‘‘OPI products are results-driven and trend-led. I love seeing the delight on clients’ faces when I tell them about new colours.‘‘
Victoria Howse, OPI educator
Jill Bartoshevich
OPIcons
For spring 2026, OPI has taken playful naming to a new level, launching the OPIcons collection to celebrate 45 years of the brand. Iconic shades like Funny Bunny and Big Apple Red have been given a ‘mani-versary remix’, featuring ‘the same DNA but with a twist in the name and colour’.
“I’ve always had an unshakeable belief in the transformative power of colour, especially as a vehicle to express freedom, joy and empowerment,” comments Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. “I wanted consumers to have the entire rainbow at their fingertips through OPI. The OPIcons collection is a celebration of this heritage.”
Twelve shades are available in the brand’s Nail Lacquer and GelColor formulas, while another 12 feature in Infinite Shine Gel-like Lacquer. OPI’m A Bubble Bunny, available in GelColor and Nail Lacquer, is a hero shade. Jill Bartoshevich, OPI global director of colour equity, comments: “[OPI’m A Bubble Bunny] brings together two of the most-requested neutrals of all time – Bubble Bath [from 2001] and Funny Bunny [from 2007] – in a soft, milky hue with the slightest hint of pink. This shade was born out of the viral trend of combining two coats of Funny Bunny and one coat of Bubble Bath, illustrating the full-circle effect of our brand inspiring a community, which in turn inspired the brand.” The second hero shade in the GelColor and Nail Lacquer formulas is sparkling peach hue, Queens Rule: ‘the grown-up version of its shimmery bubblegum pink inspiration, Princesses Rule!’, which launched in 2006.
Meanwhile, the Infinite Shine hero shades are Kyoto Oyster and I’m Not Really an Influencer. “Kyoto Oyster is a more iridescent version of its inspiration, Kyoto Pearl, which is from the first-ever OPI colour launch,” Jill reveals. “I’m Not Really an Influencer is inspired by one of our best-known shades, I’m Not Really a Waitress, and is a super vibrant, energetic fuchsia.” I’m Not Really a Waitress launched in 1999.
Lena White & Lisa Bennett.
Lisa and Lena with George Schaeffer.
The OPI UK&I story
Bringing OPI to the UK and Ireland was no mean feat. When Lena White and her daughter, Lisa, travelled to the US in 1983 to explore what was next for the professional nail world, they overheard two salesmen talking about a brand to note at a New York trade show. That brand was OPI.
On their return to the UK, Lena became determined to find a contact for the company. Her perseverance led to her and Lisa meeting OPI co-founders, George Schaeffer and Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. The pair gave Lena three months to prove that she could represent OPI in the UK, and she set out to introduce the brand to nail technicians across the country. Impressing George and Suzi, Lena more than proved herself – and represented OPI in the UK and Ireland for over 30 years.
“The journey with OPI was unbelievable,” shares Lena. “I love the OPI family. I was impressed by the consistency of the products, and the colours are excellent.” Lisa adds: “What I love about OPI is the quality of the products and that they are so progressive. We know something new and exciting is always going to launch, whether it’s colours or systems.”
Charlotte Lowe
OPI’s UK&I education team winning the
Scratch Stars Nail Team of the Year
title in 2023.
The value of education
“From the beginning, OPI has understood that exceptional products alone are not enough – they must be supported by knowledge, confidence and inspiration,” details Charlotte Lowe, OPI UK&I education brand manager. “Education is at the heart of everything we do, from guiding a QVC consumer through the basics of achieving a flawless at-home manicure, to working with experienced nail professionals to refine advanced techniques. By educating the end user at every level, we empower them to get the very best from OPI products, and we build trust, elevate industry standards and create lasting relationships.”
Charlotte continues: “Many OPI customers and professionals will be familiar with a video shown at our training courses and events, which features co-founder, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann. She ends with three words that have become something of a mantra for the brand: ‘Education, education, education’. A dedication to sharing knowledge, alongside world-class colour and innovation, has driven OPI’s success for 45 years – and continue to push the brand forward today.”
‘‘Each collection, collaboration and colour has a story to tell.‘‘
Jessica Price
Mei Posso
Community spirit
“The OPI community is a truly amazing and supportive group of pros from all areas of the nail industry,” shares OPI Nail Boss,
Jessica Price. While diverse in their skillsets, locations and industry roles, there’s one key thing that unites the pros: an unwavering passion for the OPI brand.
“Everyone in the community brings their own story, skill and point of view, and I find that representation inspiring and empowering,” says Mei Posso, OPI UK&I brand manager. “Our Nail Bosses, profluencers, content crew, ambassadors and educators represent a gold standard for nails, and we’re especially proud of how they lead with curiosity and have a shared ambition to raise the bar. We’re investing in regular touchpoints for our community, including exclusive looks, co-collaboration opportunities and dedicated training.”
Polish popularity
“Our success is anchored by enduring icon shades such as Cajun Shrimp, Put It In Neutral, Less Is Norse and Lincoln Park After Dark,” shares Mei Posso.
“However, since its launch, Bubble Bath (2001) has sold over five million bottles worldwide, and Big Apple Red (2000) is probably our most recognisable red hue. It is one of the few shades available across nearly every OPI formula, underscoring its universal appeal and cult status.
“OPI’s popularity has been amplified by culture-defining collaborations: notably with the Barbie and Wicked movies,” Mei continues. “These have allowed us to step into the biggest cultural conversations of the moment, translating global entertainment phenomena into colour.”
Something for all
In the last 45 years, OPI has launched over 300 collections and more than 3,600 limited edition shades, offering an expansive array of nail colour options. In 2011, it introduced gel polish formula, GelColor, which was revamped two years ago to feature Intelli-Gel™ self-levelling technology.
The brand’s Infinite Shine formula, a lacquer system with a gel-like shine, launched in 2014. Last year, the GELevate™ extension system was welcomed to the product portfolio, featuring Soft Gel Tips and 4-in-1Builder Gels. These feature alongside the Nature Strong nail and skincare range and natural nail treatments such as Nail Envy and Repair Mode™.
Vicky Knight
OPI educator, Vicky Knight, tells Scratch: “What I love most about OPI is the choice it offers. There’s a huge selection of beautiful colours, including in my favourite product: Nail Envy Nail Strengthener. There’s a formula for everyone – whether you want easy-to-wear lacquer, long-lasting gel colour or nail length and strength. This makes the brand a nail tech’s dream, because it provides everything you need for your clients and business.”
Emma Brock
“OPI products are incredibly reliable – from their colour pigmentation to performance,” adds Emma Brock, OPI Nail Boss. “One of my favourite memories is from the early 2000s, when a brand representative would bring the latest OPI collections to the salon. The entire team would gather to see the new colours, and even clients would try to sneak a peek at the shades. It’s amazing that OPI creates that same excitement today.”
It’s more than colour, it’s OPI
Jess Gregory
Looking to the future, OPI’s focus is on celebrating its heritage and the passionate nail enthusiasts that have made the brand a global hit. “Shade stories from the community make the brand iconic and leave an imprint on the nail industry,” says Jess Gregory, OPI UK&I associate brand director. “We will continue to celebrate everyone that makes OPI what it is today and what it will be in the future, because it’s more than colour, it’s OPI.”
Elisha Micallef
From the brand team to nail pros and consumers across the globe, shade stories are not hard to come by. OPI educator, Elisha Micallef, reveals: “I bought my first Nail Lacquer: Dutch Tulips, at a trade show in 2008. I was in awe of that shade then, and still am today.” Meanwhile, Jessica Price shares: “I remember finishing school and heading to my mum’s salon, where the walls were lined with OPI Nail Lacquer. Fifteen years later, clients are still choosing the same shades and reminiscing about their favourite OPI hues.” More than colour, OPI evokes memories – and that’s a powerful indicator of success for decades to come.
Tracy Dudziak
Behind-the-scenes: front cover fingertips
To celebrate 45 years of OPI, the brand’s UK&I team came together for a photo shoot incorporating the OPIcons collection, with the finished image featured on this issue’s cover. OPI educator, Tracy Dudziak, created the nail style, commenting: “I wanted to lean into spring while adding a playful edge. The OPIcons collection provided the perfect palette with its fresh and fun shades. I used GELevate™ Soft Gel Tips in Almond to create an elegant base, then spotlighted a different OPI GelColor shade on each hand. The soft pink is Bathtime Bubbly and the delicate lilac is Mod About Me.
“The 3D details were sculpted using OPI GELevate™ 4-in-1 Builder Gel in Blank Canvas. The butterflies, flowers and dragonflies really bring the season to life. To complete the look, I wove in a broader colour story with OPIcons shades, Shrimp Cocktail, Sunny Bunny and Strawberry Cosmo.”
COVER CREDITS
Creative director & model: Mei Posso
Nail artist: Tracy Dudziak
@tracy_opiuki
Photographer: Leo Hoang
@leohoang_media
OPI products are available via www.opi.com / uk.wella.professionalstore.com
/OPI & /OPINailsUK
@opi & @opinailsuk
@opi & @opinailsuk