Supreme retail store at a chinese mall with its iconic red color and big logo. The store located in Shanghai Aegean Plaza
Image: Shutterstock
The Big Idea
How can a streetwear brand like Supreme — known for its outré, “collectible” pieces — get the capital to expand, while retaining the cachet to sell? Every hot youth brand faces this core dilemma: how to expand sales without diluting its “exclusive” appeal. Supreme’s case, however, is extreme because its identity is tied to ultra-small distribution and an aloof, “you chase us” marketing model.
The Scenario
Supreme, the streetwear brand known for its cherry red boxed logo, was founded in 1994 by James Jebbia. An avid consumer of street style, fashion magazines, and vintage apparel, Jebbia recognized early the creativity and style instincts of the skateboard community in New York. After honing his talents on a few skate and fashion retail ventures, he opened the Supreme store on Lafayette Street in the mid-1990s.
[This article has been reproduced with permission from University Of Virginia's Darden School Of Business. This piece originally appeared on Darden Ideas to Action.]