The Infamous Red Box
Part.2
Supreme:
Supreme started in 1994 with it's feet firmly anchored in the downtown New York street culture. The brand slowly began to offer a hiqher quality of clothing than that of other skate brands of the time. Which as a result of it's own efforts slowly elevated itself above other brands, quickly building itself collaborations with big brands such as Vans and The North Face and in turn gaining a reputation,respect and success.
Hype. Too much of it.
Supreme started in 1994 with it's feet firmly anchored in the downtown New York street culture. The brand slowly began to offer a hiqher quality of clothing than that of other skate brands of the time. Which as a result of it's own efforts slowly elevated itself above other brands, quickly building itself collaborations with big brands such as Vans and The North Face and in turn gaining a reputation,respect and success.
Elevation
According to the Supreme website "Supreme grew to be the embodiment of the downtown culture, Playing an integral part in its constant regeneration. Skaters, Punks, Hip-Hop Heads -the young counter-culture at large- all gravitated towards Supreme". Now let's look at that seperately is that them justifying their place in streetwear market? or giving a good representation of their fan base? Well it does prove them as having the right stance and audience to be streetwear and if we look at their collaberations ALL of those sections have been accounted for:- Skaters:- The multiple Vans and Nike SB collaberations have accounted for skaters.
- Punks:- If there is any band that could've both accounted for punk culture but also offer a healthy range of designs the bad brains collaberation in 2008 ticks that box too
- "Hip-Hop Heads":- 2006's Public Enemy collaberation not only proved that hip-hop culture was an influence for supreme but proved it knew what it was doing and prove themselves as one of the most critically acclaimed streetwear brands around
- "counter-culture at large":- the only real part of counter-culture that has not been acounted for is (arguably) the heaviest in influencing streetwear: Graffiti. The collaboration with Futura 2000 has this covered too.
Hype. Too much of it.
As i mentioned before in the Nike SB x Heritage article Supreme (similar to obey) is having its message slowly alienated by it's affiliation with big artists, in particuluar OddFuture. On the internet it is almost impossible to see a picture of Supreme without some pre-adolescent kid, who thinks that "swag" is style, commenting with the standard "OFWGKTA!!". This is my issue, such uneducated and one dimensional views on fashion are alienating brands by association outside of the brands control. BUT there is hope yet! "OF clothing". Yes. OddFuture have released their own brand. All I can hope is that this will take the focus off Supreme and give "the kids" something new to buy into. Which won't affect the perception of culture, because in all honesty, I don't want to be grouped with little brats who spent their parents money on box logo tees and 5panels because they think a guy who calls himself wolf is a god.
