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Retail Spotlight: Commissary

Streetwear’s O.G.’s are often seen, but rarely heard. From stores to parties, they’re everywhere that makes up “the scene.” But few give their brand a voice as loud as streetwear icon Andrew Lee does as the owner of clothing line invisible:man and retail chain Commissary.

Though the Brooklyn native is always opinionated, he prefers to let his bold BMX/skate/heavy metal inspired clothing do the bragging for him. Lee opened his first Tokyo flagship in 2001, and is now based in California with two more stores under his belt—one in San Diego, the other in Orange County (pictured above). In addition to invisible:man, Commissary carries brands like Original Fake, Bounty Hunter, and Acapulco Gold. We caught up with Andrew Lee to talk about his stores and get his take on the the influence of online shopping on today’s retail business. Read the quick interview below.

On what to look for at Commissary…
“I feature the best brands available and now some BMX goodness: Verde bikes, Brooklyn Machine Works, and had a few Sub’s. I’ve been working with Medicom toys and SAG bags and stock absolutely no wack bullshit filler.”

On what distinguishes his projects…
“As always, current events and a cup of go fuck yourself. I slowed i:m down to focus on Commissary stores and a bar and gallery. I’m always working on bettering yet maintaining a original outlook and idea so I’m not one of those brands that makes the same shit, same style, year after year. Which I feel sets me apart from the copycat and snoozer brands that cover the pages of magazines and blogs, I have some self respect—these others apparently do not.”

On launching invisible:man…
“I started invisible:man in 1999 looking for some way to vocalize my opinions and things i thought were interesting. It’s been up and down and huge and shit, it’s all good—the brand has a life all its own. Invisible:man consistently gets emails and offers and such but I don’t want to do the brand 100 mph. Instead I’ll take my time and have fun with it, preserving its longevity. Plus it’s just me doing it solo, and I’m pretty much the laziest person you’ll ever encounter. I’ll make a full 30 piece cut and sew season, then next season make six T-shirts. It depends on my energy level and attention span which are now wrapped up in the new gallery/bar project.”

On the state of the retail market…
“NYC is LOCKED. Supreme, Union, Clientele, EMG, what the hell am I gonna do? I would rather continue to sell at and support Union, that’s where you guys should all be buying your stuff—in the shops. Fuck the online faggotry stores. Why support them? What have they done for you? Nothing but take your damn money,while all these real stores lay the groundwork and educate everyone on what’s good. Buy gear at Union, walk over to Supreme and get the goods, cross the street to Clientele for some damn shoes, then hit Jerry’s for that B.L.T. Support real shops, they are the hard workers and made this shit what it is. Stay off the Webmalls. Get outside, shoot the shit with real live humans, check out some fine ass Puerto Rican girls, drink a beer in a bag…Remember what that was like? Remember leaving your apartment?”