Whatever Happened To The Lapel Project After Shark Tank?

Sebastian Garcia and Raul Bernal realized that men burn through hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars when purchasing tuxedos for formal events, only for these outfits to sit in closets and collect dust. Their solution to this dilemma took shape in The Lapel Project, a piece of fashionable satin fabric that can be attached to a suit's lapel, immediately transforming it into an impressive tuxedo jacket. With proper care, the product can be reused up to ten times. 

The dynamic duo made their way onto "Shark Tank" Season 8 looking for an investment of $150,000 for 20% of their business. As their company is based solely in a single brick-and-mortar store in Southern Florida, they hope to use the money to bring their business into the online world. The sharks have a fun time trying on their custom-made lapels. And while the then-six month old business had only made $16,000 in sales up to that point, their margins still managed to impress, with the product being made for between $5 and $8 while selling for $50 to $100. 

Ultimately, many of the sharks saw it as a gag item, except for a zealous Mark Cuban, who offered $150,000 at 30% interest. When it became apparent that the other sharks won't make a deal, the two jumped at the opportunity to work with Cuban. Thankfully, going with their gut worked out at the end.