Heather Hasson

Honestly, it was at the time I didn't even know what VC was. I wasn't really in tune with anything with finance, like zero. Mm-hmm. Zero, zero. I think it was just kind of innate. I just went to friends, family, people I didn't even know.

Honestly, it was at the time I didn't even know what VC was. I wasn't really in tune with anything with finance, like zero. Mm-hmm. Zero, zero. I think it was just kind of innate. I just went to friends, family, people I didn't even know.

I was in New York at the time, asked around, and then met some folks, and they gave me a little bit of cash, and I took that little bit of cash, and I started this tiny company, moved to Italy, and then... It didn't do very well. The bags are beautiful. They were gorgeous. What kind of bags were they? They were like just giant handbags. They were big, oversized handbags. Beautiful.

I was in New York at the time, asked around, and then met some folks, and they gave me a little bit of cash, and I took that little bit of cash, and I started this tiny company, moved to Italy, and then... It didn't do very well. The bags are beautiful. They were gorgeous. What kind of bags were they? They were like just giant handbags. They were big, oversized handbags. Beautiful.

Yeah, exactly. And I was like, well, at least if I can't, you know, be in surgery, at least I can do this. Right. But then it was actually my, I had a business partner at the time and he passed away from lung cancer. Oh, I'm so sorry. It's okay. I mean, I was super young and he was a little older and he was a wonderful human. And after that, I just folded the company and went straight to Kenya.

Yeah, exactly. And I was like, well, at least if I can't, you know, be in surgery, at least I can do this. Right. But then it was actually my, I had a business partner at the time and he passed away from lung cancer. Oh, I'm so sorry. It's okay. I mean, I was super young and he was a little older and he was a wonderful human. And after that, I just folded the company and went straight to Kenya.

So I was just going there because my business partner passed away. I was in the hospital for a really long time with him and I just needed a break. And so then I went over to Kenya and then I started going to these clinics and I saw everybody not wearing scrubs. And I'm like, what's going on? You know, how come nobody's wearing scrubs?

So I was just going there because my business partner passed away. I was in the hospital for a really long time with him and I just needed a break. And so then I went over to Kenya and then I started going to these clinics and I saw everybody not wearing scrubs. And I'm like, what's going on? You know, how come nobody's wearing scrubs?

This, you know, this one nurse, she was a nurse for 25 years, never had a set of scrubs. The surgeon didn't have a set of scrubs. So then I came back to Los Angeles and I'm like, you know what? Let me donate some scrubs. Let me just give some scrubs to people who, the people that I met out there, they'd never had a set of scrubs before.

This, you know, this one nurse, she was a nurse for 25 years, never had a set of scrubs. The surgeon didn't have a set of scrubs. So then I came back to Los Angeles and I'm like, you know what? Let me donate some scrubs. Let me just give some scrubs to people who, the people that I met out there, they'd never had a set of scrubs before.

And so I manufactured like, I don't know, 10 and sent them out. So you didn't just go and buy them.

And so I manufactured like, I don't know, 10 and sent them out. So you didn't just go and buy them.

Yeah, I just made literally 10 sets of scrubs in Los Angeles. They weren't stylish or anything. I just, you know, put them together, hired a tailor because I can't sew. A terrible sewer. I can sew, but not well.

Yeah, I just made literally 10 sets of scrubs in Los Angeles. They weren't stylish or anything. I just, you know, put them together, hired a tailor because I can't sew. A terrible sewer. I can sew, but not well.

Yeah. And so the feedback from the surgeons, the nurses, they were just like, I can't believe you did this. We've never felt like we were on part of a team before. And that's when the idea of FIGS came about. Then I started to sit in hospitals, like you can go and I just had a cup of coffee and I would watch, like almost like a method actor, right? Okay, so wait.

Yeah. And so the feedback from the surgeons, the nurses, they were just like, I can't believe you did this. We've never felt like we were on part of a team before. And that's when the idea of FIGS came about. Then I started to sit in hospitals, like you can go and I just had a cup of coffee and I would watch, like almost like a method actor, right? Okay, so wait.

Yeah, it was how important it was to them, that uniform. And I was like, oh my God, wow, that is, that is incredible. I mean, I did also make uniforms for children as well when I was in Africa before even the scrubs to put kids in school. So uniforms is like, I think, been part of my DNA. And when I was even in pre-med, I wore these huge, massive scrubs, right?

Yeah, it was how important it was to them, that uniform. And I was like, oh my God, wow, that is, that is incredible. I mean, I did also make uniforms for children as well when I was in Africa before even the scrubs to put kids in school. So uniforms is like, I think, been part of my DNA. And when I was even in pre-med, I wore these huge, massive scrubs, right?

I'm over a cadaver and I'm tying my, I had a belt on top of it because, you know, they gave us extra large scrubs. It was like a one size fits all. Oh, my gosh. In my mind, I just thought the smartest people in the entire world, if there's not a company that supports them, we are all going to die.

I'm over a cadaver and I'm tying my, I had a belt on top of it because, you know, they gave us extra large scrubs. It was like a one size fits all. Oh, my gosh. In my mind, I just thought the smartest people in the entire world, if there's not a company that supports them, we are all going to die.