Mike Faherty

Mike Faherty co-founded Faherty Brand, a surf-inspired clothing company he grew into a $250 million B Corp-certified brand with over 80 locations. Growing up between New Jersey beaches and New York City, Mike's love for clothes emerged early—he picked out his brother's outfits by age six and studied his father's Allan Flusser suits by age eight.

After studying fashion design at Washington University, Mike spent seven years at Ralph Lauren. During that time, he and his twin brother Alex—a finance professional—shared a New York apartment, dreaming of starting a clothing company. Mike's vision for a brand that worked equally well on city streets and at the beach first appeared in a 2000 college essay.

In 2012, Mike left Ralph Lauren, traveled for a year and a half, then developed designs in a Union Square loft. In 2013, the brothers launched Faherty online from Puerto Rico, selling swimwear made from recycled plastic bottles. That summer, they toured the Pacific Coast Highway in a mobile beach house with family.

Faherty's 2014 first collection landed at Nordstrom and retailers nationwide. A SoHo flagship opened in 2015 as headquarters, with Malibu following in 2016. Mike's creative leadership has driven sustainable innovation: Native design partnerships, bestselling Legend Sweater Shirt, Stretch Terry fabric, and a 2025 regenerative cotton line. B Corp certified in 2024, Faherty also expanded into hospitality with Sun & Waves Coastal Kitchen in their Spring Lake hometown.