Supreme (brand)

Supreme is an American skateboarding shop and clothing brand[6][7] established in New York City in April 1994.[8]

Supreme
Industryclothing 
Founded1994 (1994)[1]
FounderJames Jebbia[2]
(Founder & CEO)
Headquarters
New York City, New York[3]
,
United States
Number of locations
12[4]
ProductsClothing, shoes, accessories, skateboards
Total equityUS$1 billion[5] (2017)
ParentThe Carlyle Group (50%)
Websitewww.supremenewyork.com

The brand caters to the skateboarding and hip hop cultures as well as to youth culture in general. The brand produces clothes and accessories and also manufactures skateboards. Its shoes, clothing, and accessories are sold extensively in the secondary market.

The distinctive red box logo with "Supreme" in white Futura Heavy Oblique is largely based on Barbara Kruger's propaganda art.[7]

Supreme releases new products through their retail locations around the world as well as their website on Thursday mornings in Europe and America, and on Saturday mornings in Japan.[9]

History

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]

Trademarks

Supreme has been granted trademarks in many countries including countries in North America, Europe and Asia. [22]

Supreme lost a lawsuit in an Italian court,[23] and the European Union refused to register its trademark,[24] so "Supreme" items not manufactured by Supreme can readily be sold in Italy and Spain,[25] and Samsung was able to sign a promotion agreement with a European "Supreme" (not Supreme).[26][27]

Awards

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,[28] Three 6 Mafia, Lou Reed, Lady Gaga, Neil Young,[29] Gucci Mane, Nas, and Morrissey. Kenneth Cappello[30] made some of Supreme's most notable photo tees like Mike Tyson, Dipset, and Raekwon.[31]

Notable people who have worn Supreme clothing in public include members of the group Odd Future,[32][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[33] during the Raiders' first day of training camp for their 2019 season.[34][35]

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[36] and in Japan.[37]

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.

References
  1. "Charting the Rise of Supreme, From Cult Skate Shop to Fashion Superpower". Vogue. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  2. "Supreme's Buyout Reportedly Values the Brand at $1 Billion USD". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  3. Woolf, Jake (2017-10-05). "James Jebbia Wants Shopping at Supreme to Be Easier". GQ. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  4. "Supreme stores". www.supremenewyork.com. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  5. "Supreme Just Became a Billion-Dollar Streetwear Brand". Complex. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  6. Chaplin, Julia (October 3, 1999). "PULSE: LAFAYETTE STREET; 'Kids' Welcome, Dress: Baggy". The New York Times. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  7. "50 Things You Didn't Know About Supreme". Complex. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  8. "Supreme Clothing, Looking Behind the Hype of a Supreme NYC Drop". The Dapifer. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  9. "FAQ - Shop - Supreme".
  10. "Supreme about". www.supremenewyork.com. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  11. Smith, Jonathan (16 November 2018). "How Supreme Managed to Stay True to Skateboarding, Despite Everything". Vice. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  12. Abrams, Micah (April 16, 2006). "Into L.A.'s Deli Land, Enter the Skaters". The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  13. "Supreme stores". www.supremenewyork.com. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  14. Bahney, Anna (October 31, 2003). "Get 'Em While They're Cool: Footwear for the Few". The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  15. "Supreme Is Opening a Store in Brooklyn This Week". 3 October 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  16. "Here's Why Supreme Decided to Open a Second Store in New York". 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  17. "BoF Exclusive - Supreme Confirms Investment From Carlyle Group". 6 October 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  18. "How Supreme Grew a $1 Billion Business with a Secret Partner". 10 October 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  19. https://www.supremenewyork.com/news. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. Hughes, Aria. "Supreme to Open San Francisco Store". WWD. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  21. Wolf, Cam. "Supreme's World Domination Tour Starts in San Francisco". GQ. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  22. Clark, van (5 May 2020). "Supreme Secures Chinese Trademark". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  23. "Supreme Loses Counterfeit Case in Italy". HYPEBEAST.
  24. "Europen [sic] Union refuses to register Supreme as trademark". nss magazine.
  25. "Italian Court Rules Against Supreme in Counterfeit Case". Supreme California. 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  26. Etienne, Stefan (2018-12-10). "Samsung angers hypebeasts by partnering with fake Supreme brand in China". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  27. Meek, Andy (2018-12-10). "Samsung teams up with a fake, knock-off brand of Supreme to make products in China". BGR. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  28. "Terry Richardson x Supreme x Kermit the Frog". February 29, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  29. Cardiner, Brock (October 13, 2014). "Supreme Fall/Winter 2014 Editorial by Terry Richardson for 'SENSE' Magazine". High Snobiety. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  30. "A History of Supreme's Artist CollaborationsKenneth Cappello". Complex UK. Retrieved 2016-11-29.
  31. "SUPREME T-SHIRT - T-Shirts - Supreme - Apparel". www.projectblitz.com. Retrieved 2016-11-29.
  32. "Gallery: Celebrities Wearing Supreme". Retrieved 2015-07-22.
  33. Hore-Thorburn, Isabelle. "Supreme Reveals Raiders Spring 2019 Collection". Highsnobiety. Titel Media GMBH. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  34. Oakland Raiders [@Raiders] (26 July 2019). "Float like a butterfly, sting like AB. #RaiderNation X @AB84" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  35. "Antonio Brown wears a Supreme x Raiders NFL Hoodie, Palace Beanie, Boarding Lab Pants, and Nike x MMW Sneakers for Raiders Training Camp". UpscaleHype. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  36. "Supreme streetwear (including fakes) takes China by storm". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  37. "That Time James Jebbia Gave a Rare Interview and Talked About Supreme's History and Its Popularity in Japan..." Complex. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
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