Crown Affair raises Series C led by Stride Consumer Partners

What's the deal? Crown Affair, the premium haircare brand, has raised a Series C funding round led by Stride Consumer Partners. Stride is known for backing beauty and personal care brands including Patrick Ta and Odele. The investment signals continued investor appetite for high-growth brands in the haircare category.

Why now? The premium haircare market has been on a sustained growth trajectory, with consumers increasingly willing to spend more on specialised hair products. Stride Consumer Partners has built a portfolio focused on fast-growing consumer brands, and Crown Affair's positioning in the elevated haircare space fits squarely within that thesis.

The signal: Stride's bet on Crown Affair reflects a broader trend of private equity and growth-stage investors doubling down on beauty and personal care brands that have carved out loyal followings. As the haircare category continues to attract the kind of premiumisation that skincare saw over the past decade, expect more capital to flow into brands that can demonstrate strong direct-to-consumer traction and retail expansion potential.

Read more: wwd.com