The Unique Stories Behind These Four Brands Exhibiting At the Chicago Collective Women's

From pioneering sustainable denim production to elevating everyday essentials, these exhibitors are redefining what it means to be a modern, responsible apparel company. Let’s take a closer look at the unique stories and offerings of four must-see brands at the event.

Faherty

Faherty was founded by identical twin brothers with a passion for creating the highest quality, most comfortable clothing.

This commitment to excellence stems from co-founder Mike, who turned his childhood dream into Faherty. Every Faherty style is designed to be exceptionally soft, incredibly comfortable, and exude a laidback, coastal vibe.

Importantly, Faherty backs this quality with a guarantee and invests in long-term partnerships to drive positive social and environmental change. They require compliance audits and supplier codes of conduct to ensure fair and safe working conditions across their global manufacturing.

The Normal Brand

What started with one incredibly comfortable homemade shirt by has grown into The Normal Brand. Headquartered in St. Louis, The Normal Brand brothers - Jimmy, Lan and Conrad - are dedicated to making “normal” clothing significantly better.

After quitting his finance job, Jimmy worked tirelessly in his parents’ basement to refine the first Normal shirt. The brand then expanded, with Lan and Conrad joining to improve the website and open a retail store. Today, the brand has over 11 stores across the U.S. with each store designed in a unique theme and with a bar.

The Normal Brand is focused on providing an elevated, engaging experience for customers seeking exceptionally comfortable, durable and versatile apparel.

AG Jeans

AG Jeans was founded by two powerhouses of the denim industry, Adriano Goldschmied and Yul Ku, who brought their visions together in 2000. As the “Godfather of denim”, Goldschmied established AG’s legacy of innovative washes and designs.

Concurrently, manufacturing expert Ku pioneered AG’s use of eco-friendly production techniques. This includes ozone technology, laser finishing, solar energy and water recycling - making AG the first vertically integrated denim manufacturer on the West Coast.

AG’s decades of progressive experience have allowed them to keep pace with the latest sustainable innovations, cementing their position as a leader in the sustainable denim movement.

By today, AG’s products have been repeatedly worn by celebrities such as Kelly Rutherford, Anya Taylor-Joy, or Emily Ratajkowski, who even partnered up with the brand to design a special edition capsule collection.

Benny’s Eyewear

The yet-to-launch eyewear brand is a collection of fashionable, high-quality reading glasses crafted with meticulous Italian craftsmanship.

Benny’s focuses on using ultra-premium materials to create unique, stylish eyewear designs. By emphasizing quality construction and materials, Benny’s aims to provide a superior reading glasses experience.