How the Supreme brand transformed the purchase of a hoodie in search of the Holy Grail
A Louis Vuitton x Supreme trunk estimated at more than 70,000 euros, a Hammers x Supreme hammer estimated at more than 600 euros or a simple white t-shirt with the Supreme logo estimated at nearly 3,000 euros: here are some of the accessories that are on sale Thursday, May 16 at Artcurial, in Paris, during exceptional auctions bringing together emblematic products of American street culture. Among the most represented and most anticipated brands, Supreme, a skate brand valued at more than one billion euros, whose enthusiasm for its products is driving the wallets of those who want to display its famous logo. We also went last November to the only Parisian boutique to try to understand this phenomenon.
In the Marais district of Paris, there is a store in front of which at least a dozen people throng every day, lined up behind a security cordon under the gaze of a guard on the lookout. Opened in March 2016, the Supreme boutique (the second in Europe) continues to attract its share of onlookers, curious to know the reason for this crowd in the very quiet rue Barbette. They come out even more confused. Because the store is almost empty. Apart from a few skateboards on the wall and racks with mostly XXL pieces, you won't find anything to buy, and especially not the brand's popular hoodies that teenagers are snapping up.
At Supreme, serious things happen mostly on Thursdays. Each week, a curious merry-go-round takes place. Gradually and under close surveillance, the buyers selected earlier in the week by the Parisian staff enter the shop from 11 a.m., while a few tourists are kindly turned down.
To understand the hype aroused by this store, you have to look at this clothing brand created in New York in 1994 by the British James Jebbia. Initially designed for skateboarders, from the very beginning it has relied on the quality of its textiles and its skateboard decks. Immediately, she forged a rebellious image, on the fringes of her competitors, and quickly stood out thanks to clever collaborations, both with brands (The North Face, Comme des Garçons, etc.) and with contemporary artists (Andres Serrano, Cindy Sherman, etc.).
"The Chanel of streetwear"
But the stroke of genius of its creator lies in its ultra-elitist distribution method, inspired by the biggest luxury brands. In practice, Supreme produces several hundred different pieces each season that the brand puts on sale on a weekly basis and in very small quantities.
Twenty-three years later, a real cult is devoted to the brand, dubbed by many celebrities, from Rihanna to Justin Bieber via rappers Kanye West or Tyler, the Creator who, according to the New York Times, n don't hesitate to call the brand a "secret society". One of the most popular Supreme pieces is the "photo-tee", a t-shirt on which is printed the photo of a star (Kate Moss, Morrissey, Nas, etc.) wearing a Supreme t-shirt. A kind of sap Inception.
Nicknamed "the Chanel of streetwear", Supreme is recognizable by its famous white logo on a red background (inspired by the works of contemporary American artist Barbara Kruger) which it affixes to everything and anything. A toothbrush, a guitar, a fire extinguisher or even a brick are among the logotyped objects sold one day by the brand. An eccentricity that it shares with the luxury label on rue Cambon, as highlighted by the specialized site Highsnobiety.
On Instagram, Leo Mandella, a 14-year-old teenager passionate about Supreme (but also Palace and Bape, its British and Japanese equivalents) puts himself on stage every week, mainly wearing clothes and accessories from his favorite brand. The account of this young Englishman, who has become one of Supreme's icons around the world, is followed by nearly 450,000 people.
But the most coveted Supreme piece is the "box logo hoodie" which connoisseurs call "bogo". A monochrome hoodie simply adorned with the Supreme logo embroidered in the center. It is traditionally marketed on the first or second Thursday of December and causes huge queues, as evidenced by this video shot on the day of the famous drop (put on sale) in front of the London store in 2016.
Drawing lots and "proxy"
To buy Supreme, it is better to plan ahead. Because affording a piece on the brand's website is a miracle. Updated every Thursday at noon sharp with the new products dropped, it often displays sold out ("sold out") a few minutes, or even a few seconds later for the most coveted items.
As a result, the potential buyer has every interest in registering on a website (the address of which circulates among insiders). He then receives an e-mail every Monday morning indicating a meeting place in Paris where he must be an hour later. On the spot, they are often more than a thousand. Divided into small groups then drawn by lot by the order service employed by the shop, the lucky ones are assigned a time to visit the shop the following Thursday. To avoid this logistics, some buyers use "proxy", resellers, such as Birax.
For this "garbage collector" by profession, being a "proxy" is the best way to make ends meet. This father proposes, for a few tens of euros per piece, to buy for you the garment you want. If he is "well drawn", the resale of Supreme objects and clothing allows him to earn between 300 and 600 euros per week and thus to offer a few pieces to his 13-year-old son.
On private Facebook groups like Supreme Paris France or Supreme France Buy/Trade, you can, at the beginning of the week, "hire a proxy" for the following Thursday. Everyone announces their time of visit to the store and the commission they charge per item. These sites are also the best places to resell your purchases, just out of the shop.
A 48-euro T-shirt sold for six times as much
Proof of the brand's incredible success, counterfeits abound and the black market has rarely done so well. The latest "photo tee" with rapper Nas, sold for 48 euros in stores, is snapped up today between 250 and 300 euros from individuals or on sites specializing in the resale of Supreme products.
To acquire the most beautiful pieces of the collection, the wealthiest (and Parisians) go to a consignment store that resells Supreme, such as Afterdrop. They find the products there just hours after they go on sale in the official store. Only drawback, between the margin of the reseller and that of the deposit-sale, the prices tend to soar.
Those who want to play it solo can still try their luck online. The only condition: be very organized, fast and, for the most requested items, have several computers and acquire a “bot”, a software that will scan the site at regular intervals and fill your basket for you. . A method that requires the use of a VPN (a tool to hide your IP address) in order to avoid being banned by the site, and above all a lot of luck, bugs and crashes being commonplace. The hype is worth it.
