Started by James Jebbia in New York City in April 1994, the first store of Supreme was opened to the public on Lafayette Street. James Jebbia has previously worked with Shawn Stussy who owns the brand, Stüssy. Working under him, James was heavily inspired and motivated and wanted to start his clothing brand. The ideation of Supreme came from when James Jebbia realized that there were a lot of skaters on the streets of New York, and Jebbia admired their passion and sense of fashion. Jebbia realized although the skaters did not have enough money, they were wearing designer clothes although they knew the clothes were going to get dirty and worn. Jebbia wanted to make an environment where skaters could roll in freely and whenever they wanted to and just hang out with each other.

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Supreme is well known for having their employees as skaters only. This rule possibly set by Jebbia has been followed since the opening of the store and now Supreme has an image of their stores located worldwide, being rough or having ‘tough’ customer service.However, through the author‘s experience going around Supreme stores in three different continents (Asia, Europe, and the U.S.) the overall mood and the vibe of their stores are pretty similar with the employees not really giving too much attention to their customers in the store. However, this was enjoyable for me as I like to shop quietly alone by myself without much small talk.

However, as the author spent a lot of his time in London, he was able to get close to the employees in Supreme London. Through personal experience, I would say that if you show your face often and express your love for the brand, you will be able to get close to the employees pretty quickly.

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Supreme X Louis Vuitton

This collection was released on July 30th, 2017 for their fall/winter 2017 collection. This collection gained so much hype from Supreme fans and collectors that people were lining up in front of Louis Vuitton stores and Supreme stores for weeks to try to get their hands on the collection. The collection was massive, to say the least, the collection included hats, keychains, wallets, coats, T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, pants, and even sneakers. This collection caused a huge frenzy for the streetwear culture and enthusiasts.

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Supreme Brick

The infamous Supreme Brick, this item released for Supreme’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection is one of the most notable Supreme accessories to be released. The crowd’s reaction to this item was a mix of different emotions from questioning, getting excited, rolling their eyes, and even being furious about the item itself. However, Supreme is not fazed with their reaction as they have previously released several bizarre item accessories that we would not even look at if there wasn’t a ‘Supreme” branding on them.

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Supreme X North Face

This collection has been a longing connection between the two brands since 2007. They ended their partnership during the Fall/Winter of 2024, which left streetwear enthusiasts in awe. The two key items from their first season together were their 90s-inspired color block shell summit jackets. The two brands would create more daring and wild pieces for the following collaborations in the future.

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Supreme X Comme Des Garçons

Supreme’s collaboration with Comme des Garçons, a pioneering brand in high fashion, has been one of the brand’s most innovative partnerships. The collection consisted of T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and bags that blended the bold street style of Supreme with the minimalist, avant-garde approach of Comme des Garçons. This collaboration brought Supreme closer to the fashion elite, positioning it as a brand that could bridge the gap between streetwear and high fashion. It also made Comme des Garçons' high-concept designs more accessible to a younger audience.

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Supreme x Rolex (Rumored)

Though not an official collaboration, the idea of Supreme working with Rolex has been a hot topic in streetwear culture. Fans imagined limited-edition Rolex watches with Supreme’s branding, perhaps even using the brand’s iconic red box logo or collaborations with existing Rolex models. The idea of a Supreme x Rolex collaboration is so iconic because it blends luxury with street culture, tapping into the intersection of wealth and status with everyday urban fashion.

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Supreme x Nike

Supreme and Nike have maintained a steady brand partnership as every season, they release their Supreme AAir Force1 lows which come in three different colorways; White, Black, and Wheat Flux. The two brands have teamed up multiple times over the years, blending Supreme's skate-centric, high-fashion aesthetic with Nike's performance-oriented, athletic footwear and apparel designs.

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Skateboarders as Style Icons

Supreme’s embrace of skateboarding as an integral part of its identity had a major impact on the culture. The brand made it clear that skating wasn’t just about tricks and street cred—it was a lifestyle. Supreme’s marketing and aesthetic focused heavily on the raw, rebellious nature of skateboarding, with ads and lookbooks often featuring skaters as models and skating in gritty, urban environments. This helped elevate skateboarders to a status of cultural influence, where they were seen not just as athletes but as icons of cool

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Bridging Skateboarding and Streetwear

At the time of Supreme’s inception, skateboarding was still considered a niche subculture, often misunderstood or dismissed by the mainstream. However, Supreme quickly recognized the potential to fuse skateboarding with the emerging streetwear culture, which was starting to gain traction thanks to brands like Stüssy and A Bathing Ape (BAPE).

Supreme didn’t just sell skateboards and gear—it became a canvas for collaborations with artists, musicians, and fashion designers. The brand started producing limited-edition clothing that appealed not only to skaters but also to fashion-conscious youth and celebrities. Supreme’s bold use of logos, graphic tees, and their collaborations with iconic artists (like Barbara Kruger and Richard Prince) elevated the brand beyond skate culture into the broader world of street style and art.

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Supreme as a Cultural Statement

Anti-Establishment and Rebellious Spirit- Supreme has always maintained an ethos that speaks to a rebellious, anti-establishment attitude. From the brand’s early days, when it was situated in a grungy part of New York, to its modern-day status as a global powerhouse, Supreme has consistently challenged the norms of the fashion industry.

Logo and Branding- Supreme’s simple box logo—a red rectangle with white lettering—has become one of the most recognized logos in the world. What was once a minimalistic approach to branding has turned into a status symbol that signifies belonging to a particular subculture, while also carrying an element of rebellion against the mainstream.

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The Physical and Digital Presence

Flagship Stores and Global Expansion: Supreme's retail stores are often designed to feel exclusive and underground. Its flagship locations, like the one in New York City (the brand's birthplace), are cult destinations for Supreme fans and tourists alike. But Supreme’s influence goes beyond just physical locations.

E-Commerce and Resale: While Supreme has embraced digital sales, its online releases are often as chaotic as in-store drops, with fans waiting in virtual queues for a chance to purchase. This chaos is part of Supreme’s mystique, further feeding the idea of exclusivity and the hype surrounding each release.

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The Power of Limited Editions and Drops

Scarcity as a Marketing Tool: Supreme mastered the art of the "drop", releasing limited-edition items that instantly sell out, often before they even hit the shelves. By leveraging the power of scarcity, Supreme cultivated a sense of exclusivity around its products, making them even more desirable. The idea of creating buzz around a limited release—whether it's a T-shirt, hoodie, or collaboration—became a blueprint for other streetwear brands and even luxury fashion houses.

The scarcity of Supreme products has helped fuel a massive resale market, where limited-edition items can often fetch prices multiple times their original retail value. Supreme’s release strategy has created a “hype economy,” with resellers often dictating the streetwear landscape's value and desirability.

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Supreme

Supreme’s influence on streetwear is profound and enduring. It started as a small skate shop and grew into a global cultural phenomenon that has reshaped the way we think about fashion, exclusivity, status, and identity. Its innovative approach to collaboration, marketing, and product scarcity has not only transformed streetwear but also played a key role in bringing street culture to the forefront of mainstream fashion. Today, Supreme continues to push the boundaries, constantly evolving while staying true to its roots, making it one of the most important and influential brands in fashion history.