Mike Faherty
Mike Faherty is the co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Faherty Brand, the 50M lifestyle company he launched with his twin brother Alex in 2013. A Jersey Shore native, Mike studied design at Washington University in St. Louis and honed his craft at Ralph Lauren.
Mike Faherty's Bio
Mike Faherty is the co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Faherty Brand, the $250 million lifestyle company he launched with his identical twin brother Alex Faherty in 2013. Born and raised in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Mike grew up immersed in the beach culture of the Jersey Shore, which would later become the foundation of Faherty's aesthetic.
Before launching the brand, Mike studied design at Washington University in St. Louis and spent nearly a decade at Ralph Lauren, where he worked on Double RL and traveled extensively to fabric mills and factories across Asia. That experience—dissecting garments from yarn to wash—made him a garment engineer and gave him the technical expertise to build Faherty's signature softness and quality from the ground up.
Today, Faherty operates more than 80 stores and has become synonymous with soft, sustainable fabrics and coastal-meets-urban style. Mike oversees all design and product creation, while also personally training store employees to ensure the brand's values and quality standards are consistent across every location.
Career Timeline
2001 — Studied Fashion Design at Washington University
Mike Faherty studied fashion design at Washington University in St. Louis, laying the foundation for his design career.
2005 — Began Career at Ralph Lauren
Started as a designer at Ralph Lauren, spending seven years mastering apparel design and development.
2012 — Quit Ralph Lauren to Found Faherty Brand
After seven years at Ralph Lauren, Mike left to travel and develop the original Faherty designs in a 200-square-foot Union Square loft.
2013 — Launched Faherty Brand
Co-founded Faherty with twin brother Alex on April 16, 2013, launching swimwear made from recycled plastic bottles from Puerto Rico.
2014 — First Full Collection and Major Retail Partnerships at Faherty Brand
Launched inaugural collection, securing distribution with Nordstrom and premium retailers across America and Japan.
2015 — Opened First Flagship Store at Faherty Brand
Established first physical location on Thompson Street in SoHo, which also served as the brand's headquarters.
2017 — Invented the Legend Sweater Shirt at Faherty Brand
Created the now-iconic Legend Sweater Shirt, one of the brand's bestselling products.
2024 — Achieved B Corp Certification at Faherty Brand
Faherty Brand became a certified B Corporation, recognizing its commitment to social and environmental performance.
