Faherty Brand

So here's the thing about Faherty-it's basically what happens when two surfer brothers from Jersey decide they're tired of choosing between clothes that look good and clothes that feel good. And honestly? They kind of nailed it.

Mike and Alex Faherty are twins who grew up at the beach, and they had this vision brewing since they were teenagers. Mike spent years at Ralph Lauren's Double RL learning the craft, while Alex was doing the private equity thing, and then they just went for it. Started with board shorts-because of course they did-and now they're running a full-blown lifestyle brand with 67 stores across the country.

But what's interesting is how they've managed to scale without losing that family vibe. Alex's wife Kerry runs their impact initiatives, and their mom Ninie actually designs the store interiors. It's the kind of setup that could easily feel gimmicky, but somehow it doesn't. Maybe it's because they actually seem to care about the sustainability stuff-they're certified B Corp, which isn't exactly easy to achieve.

The clothes themselves have this laid-back American heritage thing going on. Think soft flannels, comfortable tees, easy-wearing pants-the kind of stuff you'd grab for a weekend road trip or a bonfire on the beach. The New York Times called their aesthetic "surf hippie," which is pretty spot-on. Everything's designed to be soft from the start, not after 50 washes, and they back it up with a quality guarantee.

They've also gotten smart about the whole circular economy thing. In 2023, they launched "Second Wave," a resale program where you can buy and sell pre-owned Faherty pieces. It's not just greenwashing either-they're actually trying to keep clothes out of landfills and give people a way to refresh their wardrobes without the guilt.

One thing that sets them apart is their commitment to Native American partnerships. They work with Native artists and leaders to ensure authentic representation and economic opportunity, which feels like they're actually thinking about cultural appropriation instead of just borrowing designs and calling it inspiration.

The brand's grown pretty fast-they added a full women's collection in 2020, and dresses alone account for 40% of women's sales. That's the kind of number that tells you they're doing something right. And they're not slowing down-they keep opening new stores in both major cities and resort towns, basically anywhere people appreciate that coastal-mountain lifestyle vibe.

Look, Faherty isn't reinventing fashion. But they're making really comfortable, well-made clothes with a conscience, and sometimes that's exactly what you need. Plus, their stuff actually lasts, which in today's fast-fashion world feels almost revolutionary.