ABOUT

The philosopher Plato said that Truth does not exist on its own, but is instead found between a clash of ideas and personalities. So the purpose of DEFYE is to create conversation... to engage the mind. We are an edgy new clothing label that originally started in California. 100% independent, and the name is an acronym for the artist's main conclusion in life after traveling the world for ten years: [To "DEFine Your own Existence", sometimes you must "DEFYE" the world around you.] With no investors, and little capital to start, the founder of DEFYE bet everything he owned on a vision and a drive that few others understood at the time. Michael Doherty went from living in an RV in California as an artist and baking shirts in a kitchen oven, to competing in the same international markets as mega-million dollar clothing labels in less than two years time. All of the designs have different concepts and meanings that explore the world around us beyond illusions: "Quest for Truth", "Doors of Perception", and "Formation of the Mind" are a few examples. Each concept takes about 50-150 hours to create initially, and then everything is hand printed in the U.S. onto high quality pieces of clothing. If you're looking for a unique conversational piece or a gift with meaning, check out our web store on here, and please email info@defye.com with any questions. We appreciate your support and please stay in touch for the future. Thanks!

NEWS AND PRESS

The label has received all kinds of media coverage over the last 2 years, including a feature in Men's Health magazine, along with being on the cover of the business weekly and several other publications. DEFYE was one of the exhibitors at the biggest clothing trade show in the world in Vegas called 'MAGIC', and received a large amount of international exposure that continues to strengthen our presence in the industry. We have been featured in Capital Gains Media twice now, and were selected as 1 of the 10 most successfully expanding businesses despite the current economic trends. The owner is frequently asked to lead discussion based lectures in classroom settings, and DEFYE will also be featured in a book on entrepreneurship in the near future,. We have a retail location in The Meridian Mall, and DEFYE sections in many other retail stores throughout the U.S., Canada, and are starting to break into several other countries. We have a large presence online, and are currently promoting in Midwest regions including Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Chicago, working our way back West in the future. Join our fan page on Facebook through the link above under the "NETWORK" tab to stay in touch!

HISTORY

The artist traveled the world for 10 years as a drifter, rebelling against the norms of society while trying to find his own direction in life. He lived on different islands in the Caribbean and Hawaii, stayed in hostels throughout Europe, Australia, & New Zealand. At one point he decided to move into an 26' RV that he bought off a rock band on the streets of Southern California. He was slipped acid while traveling through the middle of the Nevada desert. Michael went on one of the most intense trips of his life into the depths of the mind, and he started realizing how relative reality really was. He wanted to continue exploring the thin line between sanity and insanity. Searching for the root of action, the human condition, and our states of mind. He worked in different mental hospitals & prisons after that, taking notes on behavior and circumstances of all kinds. He was a bartender and bouncer at several clubs around the country as well, one of them being an exclusive club in Hollywood where he dealt with many celebrities. He worked in several architecture firms too, and then decided to start a PHD program for Social Psychology to continue his study of human behavior. Michael was always an artist, and had worked with all forms of mediums including industrial steel sculpture, glass, clay, etc. Clothing started as an experiment, but from the reactions he received from his designs and overall concept, he knew he was on to something big. Since then, the label continues to expand overnight, and we currently reach many parts around the globe. Thank you for your interest and support!