Just one week after the shocking announcement that sustainable fashion darling Everlane was acquired by ultra-fast-fashion giant Shein, the brand’s co-founder, Michael Preysman, has announced a defiant new venture.
Preysman confirmed he is “starting over” with a new fashion brand, aiming to resurrect the original vision of Everlane. The news sent ripples through the industry, highlighting the stark philosophical divide between Preysman’s “radical transparency” ethos and Shein’s ultra-fast, data-driven model.
Preysman’s new project, operating under the cryptic website stillradical.com, has already amassed over 5,000 registrations. The site’s landing page declares, “Same principles, but a new take. And this time: no venture capital, no private equity.”
This is a pointed critique of his experience with Everlane, where private equity firm L Catterton took a majority stake in 2020 before he stepped down as CEO in 2022.
In interviews with Vogue and Puck, Preysman expressed dismay over the Shein deal, which he said he was not involved in and learned of only 20 minutes before its finalization. “It’s the opposite of what I wanted,” he told Vogue.
The entrepreneur, who had founded an electrolyte beverage brand in 2024 and eventually left Everlane’s board due to disagreements over his vision, is now positioning his new venture as a pure, uncompromised return to accessible quality and craft.
The move signals a new chapter for Preysman, one that seeks to reclaim the ideals of conscious, informed consumption that Everlane helped popularize, but without the constraints of outside investors.
While the new brand’s name and leadership remain under wraps, Preysman’s announcement is a powerful statement, suggesting that for some founders, the fight for “radical” principles in fashion is far from over.
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