Parade
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
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Sections to complete：02 · 05
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
Parade was a direct-to-consumer underwear brand launched in 2019 by Cami Tellez and Jack DeFuria, backed by $3.5 million in venture funding from investors including Shakira, Karlie Kloss and Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal. Positioned as Gen Z's answer to Victoria's Secret, it sold size-inclusive, gender-neutral underwear made from reclaimed and recycled materials, and grew through micro-influencer gifting: over 700,000 pairs sold and $10 million in revenue during the pandemic. It opened a SoHo storefront in 2021, sold in Urban Outfitters and 400 Target stores, and built 10,000 'Parade Friends' ambassadors.
02 / FAILURE REASONS
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03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Founded
Tellez and DeFuria launched Parade in 2019; days-of-the-week underwear sold out within a day.
- Acquired by Ariela
In July 2023, Parade was acquired by lingerie manufacturer Ariela & Associates (a licensee of Fruit of the Loom); founder Cami Tellez left the company.
- Closure
In October 2025, Parade announced its closure; longtime shoppers said post-acquisition changes in pricing, quality and inclusivity had eroded the brand.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN / AFTERMATH
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