Pärdē, a new queer-owned beauty brand founded by musician, Troy Solomon, and digital marketer, Gregory Littley, made it’s debut with a Y2K-inspired launch video featuring TV Icon Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel).
www.instagram.com/pardebeauty
pardebeauty.com
Photography by Hagop Kalaidjian www.instagram.com/hagop
Max Bronner www.instagram.com/maxbronner
All product shots are done by Karla Ticas www.instagram.com/karlaticas
Pärdē, pronounced “party,” was founded with self-expression and community at its core. “Although the idea of having my own nail polish line had been a decade-long dream of mine, a major catalyst for deciding to make this dream a reality was the lack of diversity I saw within the industry,” says Pärdē co-founder Troy Solomon. “I wanted to create a brand that everyone could feel seen and represented in – a brand where we could build a community of people from all different backgrounds and identities to finally dispel the idea that nail polish itself has any specific identity. This isn’t a nail polish brand ‘for men’ or ‘for women’ – it’s a brand for anyone who wants to wear nail polish because that’s as complicated as it should be. It’s my hope that one day anyone can wear nail polish without it being interpreted as some kind of political statement – that everyone who wants to wear it feels free to do so without fear or anxiety.”
This ideal is brought to life in the brand’s launch video, which also features Buzzfeed’s Jazzmyne Robbins (@jazzmynejay), Curly Velasquez (@thecurlyvshow), and Joyce Louis-Jean (@atribecalledjoyce). As Solomon and Littley’s mom (played by Carpenter) leaves the house for the night, she makes it clear that parties are off-limits – a rule the two quickly break as the video transforms into the glossy, high-fashion high school house party you’ve always wanted to go to.
“The decision to co-create a beauty brand with Troy has been the easiest I’ve ever made, especially focusing on our inaugural product: Nail Color,” says Pärdē co-founder Gregory Littley. “Having extensive experience in the vertical during my time in corporate beauty, I undeniably understood the power of nail polish and the ability to instantly make a strike of self expression. We’re not venturing out to release something without intention. Pärdē answers the legitimate need right now in the industry to make a creative, powerful and, most importantly, authentic visual statement — wholeheartedly built, and made by Queer founders. We’re not going after the pink dollar. We are the pink dollar.“
The debut nail polish collection, which features eight highly-pigmented, pop culture-inspired shades and one high gloss, quick-dry top coat, is 10-free, vegan and cruelty free.
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS
Troy Solomon, aka “Lord Troy”, is a musician and body-positivity advocate from West Hollywood, CA. Everything he does creatively comes from the desire and intention to connect with people on a more intimate level and to promote inclusivity, body-positivity, and creative expression. Praised for his eclectic style and larger than life personality,
Troy has been featured in articles by Teen Vogue, Refinery29, Mic.com, Paper, Allure and Out.
Gregory Littley, is Shorty Award winning global brand executive with over 10 years of experience. Throughout his career, he has defined his own path in the beauty world by holding Digital director roles at Revlon, as well as his global work for L’Oreal brands Kiehl’s, Maybelline, and Coty’s Kylie Cosmetics. He prides himself on creating remarkable verticals and visually thrilling campaigns that leverage celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Kim Petras, and Selena Gomez. Gregory has been featured in Vogue Business, The New York Times, The Daily Beast, The New York Post, and industry podcasts.
