Supreme: Downtown New York Skate Culture

Author James Jebbia, Contributions by KAWS, Introduction by Glenn O'Brien and Aaron Bondaroff

The first monograph on the iconic independent New York street fashion label Supreme.

In April 1994, Supreme opened its doors on Lafayette Street in downtown Manhattan and became the home of New York City skate culture. Challenging the dominance of the established Wes Coast skater scene and the new conservatism of 1990s New York, Supreme defined the aesthetic of an era of rebellious cool that reached from skaters to fashionistas and hip-hop heads.

Over the last sixteen years, the brand has stayed true to its roots while collaborating with some of the most groundbreaking artists and designers of its generation, and with stores in Los Angeles and Japan has become an international icon of independent counter-cultural style.

This definitive monograph - with written contributions from contrasting arbiters of style, Aaron Bondaroff and Glenn O'Brien, and including an interview between founder James Jebbia and the artist KAWS - brings together the disparate elements of the brand's output, from legendary advertising campaigns to especially commissioned skateboard designs, photographs, and artworks, and a comprehensive index of their products to date.

Including collaborations with Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Damien Hirst, Public Enemy, Lou Reed, and Futura 2000 among many others, this richly illustrated book is a survey of sixteen years of contemporary street fashion and culture reflected in the pioneering work of one of New York's most influential independent labels.

About the Authors:

Aaron Bondaroff began his career working at the Supreme store, and has since created his own fashion and lifestyle brands, Off Bowery and aNYthing. He lives in New York.

Glenn O'Brien is a renowned journalist who has been both music critic and editor of Interview magazine, and writes a monthly style column for GQ magazine. He lives in New York.

KAWS is a New York-based artist who has blurred the boundaries between street art, design and high art in his collaborations with Supreme, Original Fake, and Comme des Garcons, and in his exhibitions at galleries worldwide.