Since its launch in 1994, Supreme has evolved into one of the most respected and prolific streetwear brands in the industry. Its rise to the top can be attributed to many factors: the highly coveted limited drops, the extensive list of collaborations, and its consistent use of guerrilla marketing. All these business tactics, which many considered risky, is what ultimately solidified Supreme’s dominance in streetwear. And you best believe that those who were once affiliated with the brand took notes.
In a recent piece published by Hypebeast, we get the to know 10 brands that were started by former Supreme employees or skate team members; however the site decided to stay away from the more obvious cases, like Eddie Cruz’s UNDEFEATED or Mark Gonzales’ Krooked Skateboards, and instead focused on brands whose affiliation with Supreme isn’t so widely known.
There’s OAMC founder Luke Meier, who worked as a head designer for the brand from 1999 to 2007; Angelo Baque, a former marketing manager who later went on to start his own streetwear brand Awake; and ANX Originals owner Gio Estevez, who was actually Supreme's first hire back in 1994.
Clearly, there’s something in the water over at Supreme’s posts, and we’d be smart to keep an eye on its current staff.
To read the full list of brands started by Supreme affiliates, head to the Hypebeast website.
