It all started with two Canadians, a hair salon owner Frank Angelo and a makeup artist, named Frank Toskan, The two men started MAC in Toronto in 1984. They wanted to create cosmetic products that could withstand all the rigorous wear required to do photo shoot, such as the heat from bright lighting. Frank Toskan was the idea man in the company. Before he partnered with Angelo, he spent hours experimenting with formulas to try and create this "super makeup" with the help of chemist Victor Casale, who was also his brother-in-law. He then formed a business relationship with Frank Angelo since he was a skilled entrepreneur. Since they already had connections in the field of makeup and fashion, they spread the idea of MAC through their networks. The quality and durability of the cosmetics soon gave the company the boost it needed on the celebrity scene. This led to endorsements from celebrities such as Pamela Anderson, Boy George, Debbie Harry and other big '80s stars. MAC opened its first stateside store in 1991 in New York City and opened its first European store in Paris in 1996. It also has a store in several more European countries as well as in China and distribution deals with several department stores in the U.S.A. such as Nordstrom's and Macy's. In 1994, they sold interests of their company to Estee Lauder, another prominent cosmetics company, four years later Estee Lauder took over the company completely. In 1997 Frank Angelo passed away and Frank Toskan quit MAC to devote his time to an AIDS charity. Estee Lauder kept the MAC name and continued some of the original owners' charity work, such as the MAC AIDS Fund. Although MAC is now available the average consumer, the company maintains its focus on professional makeup artists.
The MAC brand continues to grow, and the line now consists of hundreds of products worldwide and the brand's reputation of quality remains