Faculty is a Toronto-based men's brand founded in 2019 that launched with three nail polish shades and a set of nail stickers. Founders Fenton Jagdeo and Umar ElBably position the limited SKUs as a wedge product and say the company has "mastered the drop model"—their initial products have sold out. Faculty plans to expand into merchandise, men's foundation, eye shadow and potentially hair dye, aiming to blur the line between streetwear and cosmetics and to promote a "new wave of masculinity." Jagdeo concedes the polish is not chemically different from existing products and emphasizes storytelling and community-building as the competitive advantage. The five-person outfit raised a $3 million seed round led by Estée Lauder to support marketing, R&D and operations. Estée Lauder's involvement is framed as valuable for mentorship and industry access amid large addressable markets in men's personal care and streetwear.

Total raised

$3M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Jun 2021