Farah - Brand Guide

Brand Guide: Farah

12/09/2019

In 2020 Farah will celebrate its 100th anniversary; the brand has diversified from its Texas roots and has become a staple in the UK thanks to its clean design and premium quality.

Farah was founded in 1920 in El Paso, Texas, by Mansour and Hana Farah. The company started by selling chambray work shirts for just 35 cents, but by the ’30s Farah had moved into making denim, overalls and general workwear. When the war hit in the ’40s, Farah put the production of civilian products on hold and started to produce uniforms for the U.S. Army and Navy. During this time Farah received the prestigious Army-Navy “E” Award for their contributions to the war effort.

Having served in the US Airforce, Mansour Farah was determined that Farah would remain an all American brand, but upon his death in 1937 his sons James & Williams took over and sought international expansion.

Farah was introduced to the UK in the 1940s, but it didn’t take off here until the 70’s. Its success within the UK was largely driven by Islington style icons Chet & Joe, who were regularly spotted in Farah hopsack trousers. The Hopsack trousers were a revelation in the UK, and it was the stain-resistant technology that helped the trousers become a fast favourite amongst mods and punks alike.

Farah continued this success by opening a London store and by 1972 it became the world’s largest producer of mens & boys trousers, selling a whopping 30 million pairs! The popularity of Farah has grown since the ’70s and the iconic “F” tab has been worn by indie bands & artists including The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys & Paulo Nutini.

Today Farah is hugely popular and can be spotted everywhere from the football terrace to the office. The core Farah range consists of fashionable and smart wardrobe staples, while the Farah Vintage range is full of retro pieces that take inspiration from the mods that made the brand so popular.