$2.1 Billion of Superiority
Graphic by Agnes Lee.
Nothing screams exclusivity quite like a cherry red box emblazoned with “Supreme.” This simple seven letter word is a universal symbol of gatekept coolness — the holy grail of hype beast culture. With all its mystique, it's no surprise that on Nov. 9, 2020, Supreme made headlines when VF Corporation bought the streetwear giant for $2.1 billion.
The New York based streetwear brand, however, was not always the cult powerhouse that is it today. Supreme was founded in 1989 by James Jebbia as a counter-culture skater brand catering to alternative East Coast youth. As the global obsession with sporty, gender-neutral, utilitarian fashion became more mainstream, so did Supreme. Over the past 20 years, the brand has morphed into a modern lifestyle empire with stores in each of the world's streetwear capitals: Los Angeles, Japan, Paris, London and San Francisco. Authentic merchandise can only be purchased directly from one of these retail stores or through Supreme.com. There is no “middle man” — only the vibrant, lucrative resale markets of Goat and Stock.X.
The core of Supreme’s merchandise is a classic lineup of industrial inspired hoodies, T-shirts, hats, jackets and the occasional pant. Yet, through a plethora of far-reaching collaborative efforts, Supreme has affixed its name onto bricks, kayaks, skate boards, toothpaste, axes, Oreos, gymnastic mats, lipsticks, chopsticks, dog bowls, Bandaids, crowbars, fire extinguishers and gardening trowels. You name it, they’ve marketed it, rebranded it and somehow managed to make every common item, even a humble tube of Colgate Cavity Protection, not only relevant, but irresistibly cool. This, in my eyes, is the work of a branding wizard.
The Supreme x Pat McGrath Red Lipstick dropped 9/10/20 and is the brand’s first beauty collab. Image via Harper's Bazaar.
Beyond wacky collabs, Supreme has made a name for itself by relying on weekly drops to sell their product in which demand far outweighs supply. Every Thursday at 11 a.m. CST, new items are released in-store and online. In pre-COVID-19 times, throngs of shoppers spilled down Lafayette Street in SoHo, eager to get their hands on the latest Supreme. In high school, I distinctly remember my peers disappearing to “get water” midway through third period, only to be found fruitlessly attempting to purchase a $50 6 x 4 tin box or pair of socks on the snail-speed school Wi-Fi.
Supreme is now in the hands of VF Corporation: a Colorado-based company that owns Vans, The North Face, Timberland, Dickies, Smartwool, JanSport and Kipling. According to their website, “Our iconic brands are more than just labels. They connect people around the world to the activities and experiences they cherish most. Each brand is uniquely authentic and has earned its place in the lives of millions by consistently exceeding their expectations with amazing products that enable them to live sustainable and active lifestyles.” VF Corporation dominates in the outdoorsy department, and its Rocky Mountain roots endorse the sporty, recreational aesthetic. Many of its brands, including Vans, The North Face and Timberland, have a rich history of successful Supreme collabs. In fact, I spotted the 03/28/2019 Supreme x The North Face blue fleece pictured below in a consignment store just off Melrose Avenue in Santa Monica, California.
Image via Molly Van Gorp.
As mentioned in “Vogue Runway” by Steff Yotka, “Prior to the VF Corp deal, Supreme sold a 50% stake in the brand to The Carlyle Group for $500 million in 2017.” It was during the Carlyle era that Supreme dove headfirst into the luxury market. Arguably, Supreme peaked in a cultural sense after its June 30, 2017, collaboration with Louis Vuitton. The collection blends flashy red with old school Louis Vuitton insignia to create sporty, couture-cult wear.
Image via Hypebeast.
Supreme’s teamwork with Louis Vuitton helped bring upbeat graphics and relaxed apparel to the designer world, making luxury less stuffy, less Tom Buchanan East Egg and more Jay Gatbsy West Egg. This theme continues to dominate the luxury realm (think Gucci x Disney and Virgil Abloh’s NBA x Louis Vuiton, available now).
Some may say Supreme is dead, claiming that 2017 was its heyday and since then, it has slowly fallen off. There is certainly merit to these claims. Recently, the brand has been, well, lacking in A-list attention. To quote my brother, “When was the last time you saw Pete Davidson or Justin Bieber wearing Supreme?”
We, as a fashion community, may not be as starstruck by Supreme as we were, say, three or four years ago, but the numbers tell a different story. A long sleeve white T-shirt’s lowest ask on Stock.X is a lofty $160. A grey crewneck? $615. As of today, @supreme_leaks_news maintains a whopping 2.3 million followers. I foresee the brand’s alignment with the outdoor centered company, VF Corporation, as strategic, not only financially, but stylistically, too. Gear up for a truly Supreme 2021 because the reign isn’t over just yet.