SUPREME: UNBOXED - What is Supreme? Part 3

What is Supreme?

Supreme is a collective experience.

Currently, Supreme New York is on a hiatus, preparing for the Spring Summer season. There's a lull in reseller and community activity, much like the snowboarding off-season. There are pictures to look at from last season, speculation on the upcoming season and stories to tell of Wins and Losses. Interestingly enough, people fill in the gaps with other passions, such as sneakers, Japanese streetwear and pouring over the surge of streetwear-influenced pieces appearing in the collections of traditional "luxury" brands, such as Prada and a slew of others.

Obviously, the main driving force behind this trend was the Supreme x Louis Vitton collaboration from SS17. Still creating waves that designers are riding, the evidence of it's wide influence could be seen on the runways of Paris and Milan. There's been a shift in perceived value. The justification for luxury goods used to be use of exclusive materials and detailing but that has changed in the era of the "$800 Hoodie" where exclusivity and social capital reign supreme. I became aware of this change of perception when I started to wear Supreme around Phoenix, AZ. There seemed to be four distinct reactions which I will discuss.

The first reaction is unawareness. Supreme is a brand that is off of most people's radar. Unless you participate in a subculture that is influenced by streetwear, most people have never heard of Supreme or Palace or BAPE. Supreme started out in skateboarding culture and it still sticks to those hard roots. Some Supreme enthusiasts declare that only skateboarders should be wearing Supreme. This territorial attitude is prevalent in the surf and skate culture as the "locals only" ethos. Only the right people are allowed to skate, surf certain spots. If you can hang and aren't a poser, you might be able to prove your worth to have access to such exclusives.

The second reaction is recognition. Although it original started with skaters, the brand was always a secret favorite of artists, musicians, culture buffs and, most importantly, the New York hip-hop community. Supreme is about as New York as it gets. The brand's cultural roots run deep into every dirty nook and cranny of the underground New York art and music scene. People who are familiar with hop-hop know the brand. There's a sideways glance of a mix of recognition, disbelief and curiosity that I've noticed when I've been out wearing Supreme.

The third reaction is a quiet appreciation. Supreme has a different look than what normally people wear out in Phoenix. The East Coast is such in every fiber of their pieces, I must admit. The West Coast and especially Arizona, is beyond casual due to the weather. Everyone wears t-shirts, shorts, jeans, sneakers and hoodies. The weather doesn't get to cold, so there's no need for a parka. There are only periods of wet weather that don't necessitate water-resistant outerwear. Some of the pieces meant for a colder climate look out of place, like wearing board shorts in Arizona--it's just not as comfortable out of context.

People have recognized the brand and/or the style of the pieces because I've gotten some rather nice compliments from men and women about the clothing. This is something not that I'm not used to. It's a practice of mine to let a stylish stranger that their outfit is working but it rarely goes the other way. One busy server at a local favorite of mine stopped with a tray to say how much she liked the Pullover I was wearing. Perhaps it's just the way the clothes fit. I found the cut in the shoulders to be perfect--even the sleeves are the right length. Some men, branded head to toe in sports gear, have given me the once-over. Their sideways glances tell the whole story. Sorry, man, it's just not Supreme.

The fourth reaction is welcoming. These are people are very familiar with Supreme and other streetwear brands. These are the people who smile when they first catch sight of the Box Logo on my hat or they recognize a Supreme t-shirt that I have one. These are the people who know and are in the know. This ranges in ages at well. I was out at Walgreen's and three boys on bikes, probably no older than 10 or 11, saw my Supreme hat and they stopped me. I realized at that point that just having an item of clothing was carte blanche in certain communities. I was now one of "them" even though I was older. We got to talking about Supreme and they knew the lingo and followed the brand.

I'm sure I became a topic of conversation later on in one of their households, like seeing an actual Pokemon in real life. A piece of clothing sparked an inter-generational dialogue about a common passion. That's community and that's what it's like participating in a community.


--DRUMS
Editor

SUPREME: UNBOXED - What is Supreme? Part 2

What is Supreme?

Supreme is a clothing brand.

At the core of this phenomenon are the clothes. The brand mixes a blend of styles to form its own unique "sauce". Most street wear brand's offerings are rather limited. The core of a capsule would be a t-shirt, a cap and a hoodie. Clothing items such as outerwear, jackets, accessories, and basics bridges the gap between street wear brand and a traditional clothing label. At the core of the brand is the skateboard ethos that translates well when it comes to Supreme's clothing but this quirk can be disconcerting when it comes to other aspects of the brand.

If you take a look at the Supreme Preview for Fall/Winter 2017, you'll get a better idea of the type of clothing Supreme offers. Everything from winter parkas to hoodies to skateboard hardware, all with the distinctive Supreme branding. The clothing and accessories with the traditional red and white Box Logo go for a higher rate in resale markets.

I cannot offer the same type of perspective on Supreme clothing as someone who has been following the brand for a few seasons. The only "benchmark" for athletic, street wear that I have would be Roots Canada. In some ways, the two clothing brands offer similar lifestyle products that have a unique culture and appeal. I have two hoodies and one 6-panel cap from Roots Canada that are favorite pieces in my limited closet. One hoodie has aged beautifully with holes, tatters and worn seams. When I first received the hoodie, I was impressed with the weight, the detailing and the construction. Even though it was made in China, the quality control at Roots Canada must be impeccable. Large raised felt lettering, Beaver logo embroidered patches, branded hardware for the hoodie drawstring--which also had Beavers screened on them. The cap is also just as worn, faded, and broken in. Perfect.

Earlier in the season before I became interested in Supreme, I was in the market for new hoodies for the coming winter months. I looked at the Roots Canada website and a few things caught my eye but I wasn't quite sold. I had an impression that what I was after was something similar in nature. I put off my purchases and began to look around for other cool, interesting, exclusive, well-made items. I have always been into exclusive materials. Roots Canada only has a few shops in the United States. I acquired my pieces from a store in Vancouver, so it in a way, it was a souvenir of the trip, much like a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt back in day. One had to visit the destination to acquire the merchandise. That's what gave it it's panache and allure.

The most coveted item that Supreme produces is their seasonal Box Logo Hoodie. The modest hoodie has come a long way from its origins as the Baja Jacket or as it was known in certain cannabis cultures, the "drug rug". Originally imported by California surfers, the Baja Jacket has deep connections to the same surf culture that gave birth to skateboarding and snowboarding, so the Hoodie fits perfectly within Supreme's clothing culture. The Hoodie features a distinctive embroidered Supreme Box Logo. It comes in a variety of colorways--some of which are unique to that season. Some of the recent colorways will probably never be reused. The colorways and Box Logo color choices of FW17 were rather off-putting to some of Supreme's longtime collectors. The colors were odd pairings and divisive within the community, which was a notable phenomenon this season.

Second most desired item is the Box Logo Tee. A T-shirt at Supreme ranges from $34-$44 plus a flat $10 shipping charge. This shirt resells with markups of 500% and more depending on the design of the Box Logo. Every season Supreme offers an extensive variety of graphic tees of their own design as well as artist collaborations. One of the most popular releases of late was the Supreme x Louis Vitton collaboration. Quite a significant feat for a brand that was not widely known at the time.

The Box Logo Hoodie and Tee are the most desired items by collectors and resellers but Supreme offers other options as well. Supreme will release a seasonal preview and Lookbook a few weeks before the first drop of the season. This gives people an idea of what's coming down the pipe and a sense of the vibe of the collection. The collections are seasonal, so lighter wear is featured for Spring/Summer and jackets for the Fall/Winter. Jacket collaborations with notable brands such as The North Face and Stone Island are offered in limited runs and sell out in seconds.

Demand revolves around the "hype" surrounding particular pieces from the collection. The perceived value of changes on a whim. Supreme produced a yellow camo Box Logo Tee to celebrate the opening of their new Brooklyn store. Originally, it was to be made available in-store only but due to the incredible demand for the item, the queue was broken up by the police. Supreme quietly added the item unannounced to their webstore, instead. The yellow camo pattern fever broke out amongst the collectors and unreleased pieces like the Half-Zip Pullover and the Headband that featured the same yellow camo were THE items to have.

It's fickle market that's highly dependent on the culture of the consumer, which is an interesting change of the fashion hierarchy where advertisers and crony editors used to make decisions for the public. In today's market, commercial fashion seems very willing to "try anything" for crossover appeal. It doesn't work because the efforts are usually formulated from algorithms and analytics. Those efforts lack authenticity and "realness". A glossy print ad cannot compete with the power of human connection and community.

Next, let's talk people.

--DRUMS

Editor of @burneddolls

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SUPREME: UNBOXED - What is Supreme?

What is Supreme?

Supreme is a phenomenon.

Supreme is a clothing label. Supreme is cultural revolution. Supreme is Supreme.

Supreme is actually off of most people's radar. It is a New York-based skateboard shop turned clothing company founded in 1994 by James Jebbia, who was no stranger to the business of streetwear having worked with Sean Stussy. The savvy business man realized there was a need for a skateboard shop with an East Coast flavor. At the time, skateboarding still was shaking off it's surf-based California roots as it took off in popularity. Snowboarding had become more popular as well, which added another sub-culture to the brewing mix of the mid 90's skate culture. Jebbia hired local skaters to staff his store and I think also drew from the 'fuck you' art attitude and talent of local graffiti writers who have their own brand of underground skate culture based in the urban experience of living in New York, hip-hop and cannabis. There are also influences of CBGB's punk rock and Andy Warhol's The Factory. New York City is in Supreme's DNA.

I think the rise and steady maturation of Supreme into an incredible global powerhouse was due in part to the acceptance of skateboarding as an "acceptable" form of physical activity. The sport still retains it's original badboy 'thrasher' attitude but that's only one of many different sub-cultures under the skateboarding umbrella. A positive example being the international and local ambassador outreach programs that bring the sport to under privileged children in developing countries and rural areas. As it spread over the world, Supreme let the culture work it's magic and the brand became an underground secret.

The clandestine skateboard scene was bursting with creative talent in the mid 90's, unknown brands like Alien Workshop appeared with rabid followings. As a side note, the warehouse rave scene was THE scene for underground fashion at the time and to show up to an event with something ultra exclusive, like a vintage Adidas tracksuit or a distinctive graphic t-shirt gave raver personas a certain amount of clout or swag. The early warehouse scene was a way to escape and to become something different by pushing clothing boundaries, like wearing fuzzy pants and oversized Mickey Mouse gloves. The more ironic, the more iconic.

Supreme in it's current incarnation is an international street wear brand, with cultural roots in skateboarding. But it has moved far past it's humble beginnings. The skateboard hard goods shop started to produce stylish distinctive t-shirts and hoodies featuring a red and white logo based on the work of Barbara Kruger. For some reason, the visual appeal of the logo caught on and has become iconic in it's own right. The Box Logo has become the mark of the (hype)beast. This iconic logo featured mashed up with ironic graphics sampling every form of culture, featured on various pieces of clothing, is the graphic ethos of the brand, repurposed high art mixed with a good dose of punk rock 'fuck you'.

From one New York location, the brand expanded selectively to Los Angeles, London, Japan (6 stores!), Paris and most recently a new Brooklyn location featuring a skate bowl. At these locations, during their retail season, one will see lines of people waiting for the latest "drop" of Supreme branded clothing and accessories. Every Thursday at 11 a.m. EST, Supreme New York releases portions of their collections. Supreme does not manufacture goods in large quantities. Nor does the brand remake old successful products. Once it's made available, that's it, you'll never see it again. Which is the case with their highly coveted accessories line, which makes me think of the outrageous exclusive items Neiman-Marcus would release for their Christmas Book catalog.

The small runs and high demand for Supreme has unleashed a fervent resale market. I would speculate that a good portion of the current purchases of Supreme products are bought by resellers to put out on the secondary market with a hefty markup, usually retail plus 100 to 200% and higher depending on the scarcity and the product. Supreme Box Logo Tees and Box Logo Hoodies are in such high demand that resale markups are sometimes as high as 1000%. The recent Box Logo Hoodie that Supreme dropped for Fall/Winter 2017 went for around $1400 on Grailed at the time of release. The price cooled to an even $1000. The Hoodie retails for around $168.

This resale market is it's own sub-culture of the street wear phenomenon. It has it's own look, culture, music and language. Hustlers of all ages have found a new source of economic revenue for a few hours of work. But that type of income takes time and plenty of resources to build, specifically what people call "social capital." Resellers with high social media follower accounts can make quite a bit of money, especially reliable resellers who use their influence to support the culture. Some have increased their reach by featuring unboxing videos, product forecasts, and product review videos on YouTube. Some have even found fame through being "hypebeast" personalities on Instagram and YouTube. 

At the most basic level, Supreme makes clothes. From a broader perspective, Supreme is a technological collective experience. There are many nuances in between the layers--many of which I will discuss in this series of articles.

Next, let's talk clothing.

--DRUMS

Editor of @BurnedDolls