Michael Preysman
Founder and CEO of Everlane, the transparent-pricing apparel and footwear brand.
Michael Preysman's Bio
Michael Preysman founded Everlane in 2010 with Jesse Farmer while Preysman was still in business school. The idea was simple but radical: list the true cost of every item—materials, labor, shipping—and sell it with minimal markup. The model struck a chord with consumers tired of traditional retail markups.
Everlane's online-first strategy allowed it to build a cult following before opening its first physical store in New York City in 2017. Preysman's insistence on ethical factories and radical transparency helped define a generation of DTC brands.
Over the years, Everlane expanded from basics into denim, outerwear, and footwear, while weathering controversies over labor practices that Preysman addressed publicly. He has remained CEO through multiple funding rounds and a difficult pivot during the 2022-2023 retail downturn.
On the 2023 Advice Line episode of How I Built This, Preysman joined Guy Raz to discuss fundraising, supply-chain transparency, and the hard lessons of scaling a values-driven company.
Career Timeline
2010 — Co-founded Everlane with Jesse Farmer
Launched while Preysman was still in business school with a radical transparency model.
2011 — Launched Everlane.com with radical transparency model
Listed true costs of materials, labor, and shipping for every item.
2017 — Opened first Everlane retail store in New York City
Moved from online-only DTC to physical retail presence.
2020 — Pledged to eliminate virgin plastic from supply chain by 2025 at Everlane
Committed to sustainable materials across all product lines.
2023 — Appeared on How I Built This: The Advice Line
Discussed fundraising, supply-chain transparency, and scaling values.
