Supreme (brand)

The brand was founded by James Jebbia. Although he was born in the United States, he lived in England until he was 19.[7] Jebbia was originally the manager of Stussy in New York in the early 1990s.[1]

The first Supreme store opened in an old office space on Lafayette Street in downtown Manhattan in April 1994.[10][11] It was designed with skaters in mind with a unique design for the store layout: by arranging the clothes around the perimeter of the store, a large central space permitted skaters with backpacks to skate into the store and still feel comfortable.[7] This store had its core group of skaters who served as its team in 1994,[7] which included late actors Justin Pierce and Harold Hunter, and the first employees were extras from the Larry Clark film Kids.[1]

In 2004, a second location was opened on North Fairfax Ave in Los Angeles, California, which is nearly double the size of the original New York City store and features an indoor skate bowl.[12] Other locations include Paris, which opened in 2016, London, which opened in September 2011, Tokyo (Harajuku, Daikanyama and Shibuya), Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka.[13] The additional locations emulate the original Lafayette Street store's design; stores feature rotating art displays, and use videos and music to attract attention.[11][1]

Supreme stocks its own clothing label, as well as other skateboard brands such as Vans, Nike SB, Spitfire, Thrasher and Girl Distribution Company, among others.[14] James Jebbia was quoted in saying that anything that Supreme releases will never be classified as "limited," but notes that they make short runs of their products because they "don't want to get stuck with stuff nobody wants."[7]

On October 5, 2017, Supreme opened their 11th store and second in New York City in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.[15][16] On October 6, 2017, James Jebbia confirmed that the label had sold a significant stake in the company of roughly 50% (around $500 million) to private equity firm The Carlyle Group.[17][18][17] On February 25, 2019, Supreme moved their original Manhattan location from 274 Lafayette Street to 190 Bowery.[19]

Supreme opened its 12th store, on Market Street in San Francisco, on October 24, 2019.[20][21]

Supreme has a diverse history of collaborations with various skateboard and fashion brands. Among their frequent collaborators include Nike/Air Jordan, Lacoste, Rimowa[22], Vans,[23] Clarks, The North Face,[24] Hanes, Playboy, Levi's, Timberland,[25] Coleman,[1] Comme des Garçons,[26] Stone Island,[27] NUGGS.CC[28] and Champion.[29]

Supreme has also collaborated with brands to create a variety accessories and other non-clothing items such as a cruiser bicycle,[30] bricks, crowbars, a gas-powered mini bike by Coleman,[31] an Everlast punching bag,[32] a Stern pinball machine[33] and Oreo cookies.[34] Some more recent collaborations have been with Ziplock[35].

On January 18, 2017, luxury fashion company Louis Vuitton held a fashion show where a collaboration between the two brands was confirmed. Pop-up stores featuring the collaboration were opened on June 30, 2017, in Sydney, Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, London, Miami, and Los Angeles.[36] Louis Vuitton's proposal for a pop-up store in New York City was denied by Manhattan Community Board 2 after residents expressed their "outrage that such an event was being proposed for [Bond Street]".[37] In 2017, The Dapifer reported that Lacoste partnered with Supreme for a limited men's capsule collection.[38] One commentator noted that "Supreme clothing isn’t particularly remarkable — think T-shirts, jumpers, caps and leather accessories — but plaster that iconic red logo on a white shirt and suddenly, it’s worth hundreds of dollars", pointing out that "the brand’s success lies in its scarcity model. It releases a limited number of new products each week, nowhere near the number needed to keep up with demand", causing long lineups as well as inflated secondary market (resale) prices.[39][40]

Supreme regularly collaborates with Hanes to release a line of branded T-shirts and boxer briefs, as well as skateboard parts with skate brands Independent Trucks and Spitfire Wheels.

Supreme has released skateboard decks featuring the artworks of Harmony Korine, Rammellzee, Ryan McGinness, KAWS, Larry Clark, Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Gilbert & George, Christopher Wool, Alessandro Mendini, Martin Wong, Nate Lowman, Damien Hirst,[11] and John Baldessari. In addition, they have collaborated with other photographers, artists, and designers such as David Lynch, Robert Crumb, Marilyn Minter,[41] Takashi Murakami,[42] Daniel Johnston,[43] Peter Saville,[44] Futura, Bad Brains, Public Enemy, H. R. Giger, Mark Gonzales, M.C. Esher, Dash Snow, and Nan Goldin.[45]

Supreme lost a lawsuit in an Italian court.[54] As a result, Supreme cannot register its trademark in Europe,[55] "Supreme" items not manufactured by Supreme can readily be sold in Italy and Spain,[56] and Samsung was able to sign a promotion agreement with a European "Supreme" (not Supreme).[57][58]

In 2018, Supreme was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Menswear Designer of the Year Award.[11]

Fashion photographer Terry Richardson has produced some of the brand's most notable photographs, including of Michael Jordan, Kermit the Frog,[59] Three 6 Mafia, Lou Reed, Lady Gaga, Neil Young,[60] Gucci Mane, Nas, and Morrissey. Kenneth Cappello[61] made some of Supreme's most notable photo tees like Mike Tyson, Dipset, Michael Jackson, and Raekwon.[62]

Notable people who have worn Supreme clothing in public include members of the group Odd Future,[63][8] Odell Beckham Jr, Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny, BTS.

In 2019, then-Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown was seen wearing apparel from a Spring 2019 Supreme collaboration with 47 Brand[64] during the Raiders' first day of training camp for their 2019 season.[65][66]

Other celebrities who have been seen on or wearing the brand include Tyler, the Creator, Shane Macgowan, Kate Moss, Prodigy, Slick Rick, Diddy, Lady Gaga, and David Blaine.

The Supreme brand is very popular in China[67] and in Japan.[68]

After being featured in the skate video "cherry", Converse shoes saw a spike in sales at skate shops.[69]

The fifth episode of Netflix talk show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj focuses on Supreme, its influence on street culture, and its link to war profiteering via parent corporation The Carlyle Group.

• Official website