James Jebbia has a lot to be grateful for.
The skate shop he founded after quitting the well-known skating brands Union and Stussy with the latter having already surpassed 50 million dollars in sales per year it is doing pretty well for it. It was founded in 1994 and has an identity based on Barbara Kruger’s propaganda artwork, Jebbia, an American, born in England, Jebbia was for the past twenty years leading a brand that is known for collaborating with smart brands and curating diverse collections and creating a lot of controversy in the process.
The aughts, for the old-guard sneaker lovers and skateboarders of the golden age whose most-loved films are still available on VHS, was the heyday of the brand. The box logo t-shirts of the brand were worn by a number of the most loved generation celebrities: Raekwon, Kermit, Rosa Acosta, Lou Reed, Mike Tyson, and Jim Jones. When Nike’s foray into the world of skateboarding-specific footwear was met with nearly unanimous displeasure from skaters, Supreme’s Nike Dunk Hi collaboration curried favor with hardline enthusiasts wary of the presence of a multinational corporation. The only attention paid by the fashion industry for sneakers had been a modest collection of the Chanel Reebok Pumps, the brand got notice from Louis Vuitton in the form of a cease-and-desist notice regarding skateboard designs that was a rip-off of the monogram that is the standard. Supreme was in compliance and the rest is history.
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Fast forward nearly a decade the brand Supreme has been on an upswing since 2010. The popularity of Internet Rap along with the rappers who create it has only helped push Supreme’s popularity higher, with an ever-growing number of followers due to the likes of Tyler the Creator, Tyler ASAP Rocky. It has been in partnership on a number of occasions with Jordan Brand, Nike, and North Face, had its clothing worn by stars like Kate Moss, Neil Young and Diddy. On the other hand, in the world of footwear the company’s fortunes have been better than expected: They’ve made a number of sought-after Jordans, Foamposites, Air Force Ones and More Uptempos and Vans in the process closing down streets and servers, as well as offering resellers and collectors the fits. The retail price of Supreme x Nike Air Force 1 Hi in white that was sold for $150 in 2014, is now at around $650. Their black Foamposite model of the same year which was priced at $220, fetches up to $900.
With the attentive attention that is Kim Jones, newly-installed style director of Louis Vuitton’s ready-to wear operation The red box logo that skaters are now the most sought-after item that decorates hobo and trunks that cost more than what the average American is able to accumulate of credit card balances. It’s taken longer than a decade but a brand that has had a long time decade showcasing skateboarding’s style to the world has finally found an audience that is at the highest levels of of fashion. This isn’t a small feat no matter how hard The brand is completely devoid of womenswear, and haven’t even made its own shoes, or the long-running story that their shirts were made and sewn by a yet unidentified outfit from the nearby Chinatown persists.
The sky is an endless possibility for the Supreme. However, Jebbia the owner is likely to have failed to make his most lucrative chance at the kind of money that is normally reserved for geeks and lightning-fast fast forwards that have the same name. This is a great thing.
Since the time Supreme’s Louis Vuitton collaboration hit the Internet it was reported that Supreme was thinking of more than just a limited-edition collection in partnership with the fashion house. In an industry that is booming, with an increasing emphasis on decreasing prices and faster inventory time, even a company similar to Supreme was, as some argued that it was being squeezed by the glam of fashion houses like Zara as well as Fashion Nova. Beyond that, trends and streetwear is now closer than ever before, thanks to Rick Owens, Raf Simons, Ricardo Tisci, Public School, OFF WHITE, and VLONE collecting Paris as well as New York Fashion Week slots and LVMH Prizes, while hanging alongside Kanye West, ASAP Rocky and releasing collections together with Nike as well as Adidas. Kim Jones, who helmed Umbro before resigning for Vuitton and has been revealing his passion for sports and sneakers to every outlet willing to listen for more than a decade. In addition, Kanye West has turned his opinions into a lucrative collaboration with Adidas that has resulted in a period of acclaim that the resale market has never been. In any way it was a great time to Supreme as well as Louis Vuitton to join forces.
So far this moment, nothing has happened.
Since no news of a merger or acquisition was reported the news, it’s evident that there was no evidence that Supreme’s merger was overblown. Whatever the harm caused to Jebbia’s bank account in the event that he is ever contemplating the possibility of cashing out the money, he’s wise to pay careful attention to the signs in the sand. High fashion isn’t more prepared to tackle streetwear in a meaningful manner as it was in the past when Supreme was asked to stop and cease. Yes, Jones sought out collaborations with established streetwear brands (a small collaboration in design has been revealed via social media) But recognition isn’t an something that can be built into the infrastructure. Supreme is, as it’s mentioned, has had the belief that they can provide rapid inventory turnover. Their online store has been been updated every week since the beginning of time, and brick-and mortar locations frequently replenish and rotate stock. Prices for Supreme’s major merchandise (hoodies caps, tees and skate decks) have remained roughly the same for more than a decade. Its quality is matched by a few among the streetwear industry.
Beyond the symbiosis that exists between an established, but well-known firm and a company seeking to grow, Supreme has a working principle that industry veterans don’t understand. The idea wasn’t developed to respond to the shifting direction of the tide, but it’s been integral to the company’s success for more than 12 years. Should Louis Vuitton were interested, it’s more likely that they would want to take Supreme’s advice rather than hire their design team. If they succeed, it would place Louis Vuitton in the position of becoming the first major fashion brand to be able to adapt to an era of new consumers by steering a cruise ship into a new direction ahead of the crowd who are rushing to attract the public who are less interested in large-ticket items as years pass by.
James Jebbia either never got an offer from a credible source or realized the lack of adaptability in the industry to the model they desperately require. Whatever the case, Supreme has made the transition between Lafayette in France to Paris, Louis Vuitton has gained the attention of both the new and old customers, as well as shoppers are able to find new products that they want. Supreme along with Louis Vuitton may make strange partners, but neither hung on for too long and the fashion industry is better for it.