What is Brief History of FIGS Company?

What is FIGS?

FIGS was founded in 2013 in Los Angeles to fix a basic problem in healthcare apparel: scrubs that were stiff, boxy, and dull. Heather Hasson and Trina Spear built a direct-to-consumer brand around fit, comfort, and style. That shift helped FIGS stand out fast.

Its rise matters because daily wear can build trust faster than ads. The company became a known name in medical apparel, and its history helps explain the brand behind FIGS PESTEL Analysis.

FIGS company history began in 2013 in the Los Angeles area, when Heather Hasson and Trina Spear set out to make healthcare apparel feel better, fit better, and look better. The FIGS founders saw a huge, overlooked market: millions of clinicians wearing the same uniform every day, with little choice and little brand care.

How FIGS was founded and first seen

The FIGS company background is rooted in a simple idea: treat scrubs like consumer products, not just work gear. That approach shaped the FIGS brand history from the start and helped define how FIGS company started.

• Founded in 2013 in Los Angeles
• Co-founded by Heather Hasson and Trina Spear
• Built as direct-to-consumer e-commerce
• Targeted healthcare workers as consumers

The FIGS company mission and origin came from a gap in the market. One founder brought consumer product and merchandising instincts, while the other brought strategy and finance, giving the FIGS founder story a clear split of strengths.

That mix shaped the FIGS business model history. By selling direct online, FIGS controlled design, pricing, storytelling, and customer data, which helped the FIGS scrubs company stand out from older uniform brands.

Early reactions were mixed but important for the FIGS startup history. Many clinicians liked the cleaner fit and modern look, while some buyers questioned whether premium scrubs could hold their price.

Still, FIGS became more than a product launch. It was an early example of how FIGS became a healthcare apparel brand by speaking to wearers, not just procurement teams, and that focus shaped the FIGS company timeline, the FIGS medical apparel history, and later FIGS revenue growth history.

For the brand side of the story, see the Marketing Strategy of FIGS.

FIGS later took the next big step in its FIGS IPO history, with its stock IPO date on May 27, 2021. That public listing came after the company had already built recognition as a premium scrub brand and expanded its reach in healthcare apparel.

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FIGS company history starts with a clear niche: better medical apparel for healthcare workers. Founded in 2013 by Heather Hasson and Trina Spear, the FIGS scrubs company grew by improving fit, fabric, and function, then scaling through direct online sales and word of mouth.

From scrubs to a full work wardrobe

FIGS company background changed as the assortment moved beyond core scrubs into layers, outerwear, lab coats, and accessories. That made the brand useful across a full shift, not just for a single uniform buy. The shift helped shape the FIGS business model history around repeat use and higher basket size.

Community-led growth and digital reach

How FIGS company started matters because the brand used social media, referrals, and healthcare worker communities to spread fast. The FIGS founder story is tied to direct-to-consumer e-commerce, which let the brand control pricing, product feedback, and customer data. For a deeper view, see Growth Strategy of FIGS.

Premium workwear met a bigger market

FIGS brand history also tracks a broader shift in healthcare apparel toward premium, athleisure-like design. Fit and fabric became part of the buying decision, which helped FIGS become a healthcare apparel brand instead of just a scrubs seller. This was a key step in the FIGS growth story and FIGS expansion into healthcare apparel.

IPO and public-market scrutiny

The FIGS IPO history reached a major milestone on 2021-06-04, when the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker FIGS. That FIGS stock IPO date gave the brand wider visibility and more scrutiny, turning a startup into a closely watched public company. As of 2024, annual revenue was $518.5 million, showing how far the FIGS revenue growth history had advanced from its startup phase.

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FIGS company history shows a fast rise from startup to public market brand. The FIGS founders built a premium scrubs company around fit, fabric, and identity, then hit a sharper test when visibility rose after the 2021 FIGS stock IPO date and a brand misstep forced a reset in trust.

FIGS company background is built on product-led branding: the first big win was making scrubs feel more tailored, more modern, and less generic. That mix of design, direct-to-consumer selling, and community messaging is central to how FIGS became a healthcare apparel brand and to the FIGS business model history.

Its FIGS medical apparel history also shows how a narrow category can scale when the product solves a daily problem. The brand reached a wider audience after the IPO, and the stock listing gave the market a visible signal that the FIGS scrubs company had consumer demand beyond hospitals alone.

Fit as a product feature

FIGS made fit and style part of the value proposition, not an afterthought.

Direct to consumer model

The brand sold online first, which helped it own the customer relationship.

Community messaging

Its campaigns spoke to pride in healthcare work and built emotional pull.

Premium category proof

The 2021 IPO showed investors that premium medical apparel could scale.

Brand identity shift

It helped turn uniforms into a lifestyle and identity purchase for younger clinicians.

Digital-first growth

Online marketing and repeat purchases supported the FIGS growth story.

For a broader market view, see the Competitors Landscape of FIGS article.

FIGS company history also includes the move from startup to a visible public name, which raised expectations on execution. The brand had to keep product quality, newness, and sizing consistent while managing the pressure that comes with being seen as a premium stock-market story.

Another challenge was perception after peak pandemic demand eased. Like many healthcare apparel names, FIGS faced tougher comparisons, more scrutiny on growth, and skepticism around valuation once the COVID-era lift faded.

Ad backlash

An ad campaign in 2021 was seen by many as tone-deaf toward women in medicine. FIGS apologized and pulled the content, but the episode showed that brand love is not the same as brand trust.

Demand normalization

Pandemic-era demand did not last at the same pace. That made later revenue comparisons harder and put pressure on the FIGS revenue growth history.

Premium valuation test

The market questioned whether the valuation was too rich for a apparel brand tied to a narrow work wardrobe. That skepticism became part of the FIGS IPO history.

Authenticity expectations

Healthcare workers wanted more than good design. They expected cultural awareness, honest messaging, and product consistency from the FIGS company background.

Higher visibility risk

Success made every misstep more visible. That is a common cost of moving from niche startup to public consumer brand.

Trust over hype

The lesson was simple: sharp branding can open the door, but trust keeps the customer.

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FIGS company history shows a brand that grew by turning basic healthcare apparel into a consumer product. Founded in 2013, it scaled through direct-to-consumer sales, went public on 2021, and built a premium image that still depends on trust, fit, and clear communication.

Brand trust will decide the next phase

FIGS company background shows that trust came from useful product claims, not hype. That matters now because premium pricing only works if customers still feel the value in daily wear.

Scale has to stay tied to product

The FIGS growth story was built on fit, comfort, and direct customer reach. As the brand expands, the key test is whether it can keep product quality ahead of marketing.

Price premium needs proof

The FIGS company timeline suggests the brand can charge more when customers see clear value. That premium gets harder to defend if rivals copy design, performance, or distribution speed.

Mission must stay inclusive

The FIGS company mission and origin were strongest when they spoke to real workers in healthcare. The brand can keep that edge by staying practical, respectful, and culturally aware, as seen in the broader context of the Target Market of FIGS.

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