On the internet and social media platforms, users may be able to recognize a familiar brand many celebrities are wearing. Selling various types of clothing and accessories, Supreme has taken the world by storm with its simple and bold designs. Originating from a small skate shop in New York City, the streetwear brand has increased in value, making it one of the most coveted items in youth fashion.

Coming from humble beginnings, Supreme started as little skate shop on Lafayette Street in New York. Lifestyle Asia writes that James Jebbia, the founder of Supreme, opened the store in 1994 since he “felt there was potential for a market made of skaters who didn’t have access to enough good quality, stylish clothes.” At first, the brand only attracted local skaters and stayed within its SoHo, a neighborhood in New York City, boundaries. According to Lifestyle Asia, the brand got the exposure it needed “when Jebbia went as far as sticking his logo over Calvin Klein’s adverts of Kate Moss… Calvin Klein filed a lawsuit, and Supreme was introduced to mainstream non-skaters.” Although it was an unusual way to get popular, Supreme got the start it needed to become the brand it is today.

Blossoming in the past decade, Supreme now has eleven stores worldwide, three of which are located in the United States. However, these stores are normally out of stock of the items people are looking to wear or add to their collection. Most of such merchandise is sold out within hours of their release, being bought online at lightning fast speeds or in-store by the first bunch of people in a long line outside the store’s door. The items for sale can range from a simple tin box to overalls, but the most popular pieces are the clothing. Greatest in popularity are the special collaborations that Supreme does with other brands or people. The most recent and sought after collab was done with Louis Vuitton, a French luxury retail company. Harper’s Bazaar reports, “In Singapore alone, when the LV X Supreme collab dropped, people queued [lined up] for days to get in and those who scored a raffle ticket bought as many as they were allowed.” Supreme has also partnered with well-known brands such as Champion and The North Face, all being sold out in minutes.

Supreme’s rise in popularity is sparking questions about the reason it is so sought after and expensive. The answer to that is Supreme items are extremely limited, having a rarity that makes people more eager to buy them. Low supply and high demand run the company, making items more valuable as they are difficult to acquire. Individuals battle to buy Supreme merchandise for retail where they are fairly priced. Those who fail to obtain the first release of items must turn to resellers who often double or triple the price. However, only a limited amount of the population is willing to spend so much on the brand. Junior Cora Davis says, “A lot of people wear it, but I feel like it is overhyped. It’s also really expensive, so I don’t think it is worth it at all.” While many are uninterested in the brand, Supreme still thrives off of individuals who want to appear trendy and cool to the outside world by owning pieces that are exclusive and rare.

Amassing a loyal following and a large market of potential buyers, it seems Supreme is becoming a big name in the fashion industry. With the hype surrounding the brand, it is important to identify whether Supreme is worth its cost, and if a shirt with a simple logo is worth paying hundreds of dollars for. If individuals are too consumed by the hype, their money might disappear in the blink of an eye.