The Most Hyped Items of 2019

Image via Complex Original

Back in March, we lost the great Nipsey Hussle, who was tragically killed outside of his Marathon Clothing store in South Los Angeles. The rapper's legacy will undoubtedly live on through his family, his philanthropic work for his community and, of course, through his music. But, through all of these things, everything he did had Crenshaw in mind. Nipsey's friend and go-to-designer, Jerry Lorenzo wanted to make sure he kept every aspect of Nipsey's legacy intact with his Fear of God ESSENTIALS "08 Crenshaw" collection; a limited edition effort in collaboration with Hussle's Marathon line, featuring blue-adorned sweatpants and sweatshirts exactly as Hussle would've envisioned. And with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the trust fund of Nipsey's children, this was one of the rare times when a posthumous commemoration was done right, which is exactly why people gravitated toward it so heavily. The collection sold out immediately and, while it is unfortunate that many of the pieces are being resold for 3-4x what they retailed for, it's a testament to the impact that Hussle had. Hopefully, the marathon to keep his legacy running will continue forever. —Nick Grant

When Playboi Carti walked down the runway for the finale of Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2019 Men’s runway show, he was carrying what represented the future of the 165-year-old luxury house. An monogram-embossed, PVC Keepall bag in an iridescent colorway that resembled something like slick oil. It was a show-stopping piece that showcased Virgil Abloh’s daring—and now iconic—interpretation on one of Louis Vuitton’s staple pieces. Like when Marc Jacobs “vandalized” the LV monogram by putting Stephen Sprouse’s neon bright “graffiti” on leather goods nearly two decades before, Virgil reinterpreted the bag in a way that completely defied tradition. A Louis Vuitton bag made out of plastic? It’s the type of material the richest Park Avenue mom would scoff at when seeing the $3,500 price tag at the LV flagship on Fifth Avenue. But for a younger Louis Vuitton consumer, who is already down to pay $800 for a bedazzled Supreme box logo cotton T-shirt, spending three racks for a bag like this isn’t far fetched. As seen on the likes of Offset and Future, the Louis Vuitton Keepall “Prism” bag is simply a flex like no other. A bag so ostentatious that one can easily overlook the fact that it’s a monogrammed PVC bag that surely doesn’t cost nearly $3,500 to make. I mean, just think about how many likes something like this gets on Instagram. —Lei Takanashi

Since 2004, every major Supreme anniversary has been commemorated by an exclusive product drop, which quickly becomes a coveted collector's item. There’s the “Kate Moss” box logo T-shirt from the brand’s 10th anniversary. Then there’s a super rare 15th anniversary T-shirt that celebrates the founding of both Neighborhood and Supreme. For its last major anniversary, Supreme celebrated its 20th year in the game with a rare re-release of box logo and Taxi Driver T-shirts, two of the original T-shirts stocked in the shop in 1994. But nothing has been as flashy as this 25th anniversary Supreme drop of hoodies and T-shirts featuring a box logo made out of Swarovski crystals. Even with retail prices set high at $398 for the T-shirt and $598 for the hoodie, the collection sold out in seconds. Now it’s either in the hands of Instagram clout chasers or sitting on StockX for resale prices of around $800-$1,500. —Lei Takanashi

When KAWS pulled the plug on his clothing brand OriginalFake in 2013, it left a heavy hole in the hearts of many streetwear enthusiasts. Within a timespan of seven years, KAWS defined himself as one of a handful of graffiti artists who was able to significantly build his own cult following within fashion. OriginalFake stood in the same space of brands like A Bathing Ape and Supreme when it was at its peak. So when Brian Donnelly shuttered it, it seemed like he was done with making clothes for good. However, that all changed when a Uniqlo x KAWS collaboration was announced in 2016. KAWS’ collaboration with the brand never had a lofty resale value—brand new T-shirts from his first drop with Uniqlo could still be found on Grailed for just $15 more than retail. But every collaboration immediately sold out and was subsequently restocked due to the high demand.

KAWS’ final Uniqlo collection this year was met with an unusual level of hype in places like China; where customers literally crawled underneath security gates as the store opened, took T-shirts off of store mannequins, and even got into fistfights. Although consumers mobbing malls for $15 Uniqlo T-shirts is somewhat bizarre, it begins to make more sense when reflecting on his achievements this year. A collaboration with Dior dropped this Spring elevated KAWS streetwear graphics into the realm of luxury, and earlier this year one of his paintings sold for a record high of $14.8 million. It may just be a cheap Uniqlo T-shirt, but it’s a small down payment for a piece of KAWS art. —Lei Takanashi

2019 was the year of the wild ass sneaker collaborations. Artists and musicians went against the grain more than ever. Fashion brands got all Frankenstein and amalgamated different models together just to see how batshit crazy they can go. Competing sneaker brands collaborating...together? Yea, it was a year full of jaw-droppers, but none quite came in and blew the roof off more than Nike’s collaboration with Japanese high-fashion label, Sacai, on the LDV Waffle sneaker. A hybrid sneaker that took elements from two vintage-style running shoes and fused them together—literally, hence the double laces, double tongue, and double swoosh detail—to create a modern marvel that everyone wanted a piece of; sneakerheads and non-sneakerheads alike. 

Three colorways, which were introduced during Sacai’s Spring 2019 show at Paris Fashion Week in June 2019, dropped in May, and sold out in a matter of minutes due to the hype. That hype only continued to bubble up when Nike announced three more colorways would be introduced in September, a date that was also pushed back several times. These were the colorful Nikes that took two classic silhouettes that didn't quite crack the surface on their own, from a hype perspective, and really captured what makes the sneaker industry so fun. It didn't rely on any one thing they knew could get sales, like a musician’s name or a model like the Jordan 1 high that you know will do well. This is one of those rare times in this day and age of sneaker collecting were the hype is warranted. —Nick Grant

Travis Scott could have probably put his name on anything in 2019 and it would have sold out in mere minutes. His multiple Air Jordan and Nike collaborations, five to be exact, are all widely considered among the best to drop this year. The Houston rapper even had people scouring their local supermarkets for limited edition boxes of Reese’s Puffs. But the most universally accessible product to his hoards of fans was his merch. And Travis found a way to release a whole lot of it. 

Big city stops on his ASTROWORLD: Wish You Were Here Tour like New York and Los Angeles got exclusive designs. A line was sold at his various festival stops throughout the summer drenched in tie dye. When he dropped his much-anticipated single “Highest in the Room,” you guessed it, more product. And that’s not even all of it. Well over 50 items released and somehow it never seemed stale. Hardcore fans and resellers alike ate it all up every time. 

Scott has an insane influence over his fans, one most comparable in recent times to close friend Kanye West. He appears to be following the blueprint West introduced with albums like Yeezus and The Life of Pablo, too. It’s clearly working, so don’t expect it let up any time soon. —Mike DeStefano

Kanye West has many gifts. But his ability as a lightning rod—making everything he does equal parts polarizing and popular—might be his most notable. He’s no stranger to switching lanes or pushing the envelope along the way. But among the many pivots throughout Kanye’s career, his recent shift toward evangelical, in-your-face Christianity may be the most controversial. Still, however you feel about his kinship with megachurch televangelist Joel Osteen or the tepidly received music that has resulted, the Sunday Service merch that debuted on Easter Sunday at Coachella grabbed its fair share of headlines in 2019. 

A continuation of the Yeezy aesthetic, the earth-toned sweats are reminiscent of some of the early Yeezy Season collections—simple, oversized, earth-toned and complete with large, screen-printed graphics. They might not be the typical “Sunday Best” or worthy of wearing to your weekly mass, but in the Kanye-verse, cultural norms tend to go out the window. 

The ‘Sunday Service’ merch feels like something bigger than oversized crewneck sweatshirts and $50 ‘Jesus Walks’ socks, though. There’s a message hiding in here about the convergence of streetwear and culture that has become increasingly clearer in recent years. Or maybe it’s about Kanye’s singular entrepreneurial success and, yet again, his ability to inject himself into conversations that feel only tangentially related to him. 

Whatever it may be, the hype cycle continues to climb the “Mountain” that Kanye preaches about and product flies off the shelf. —Skylar Bergl

In New York City, the standard for a hype is determined by whether or not the release is monitored and/or shut down by the NYPD. The Staple x Nike SB Pigeon Dunk from 2005 remains the pre-eminent example while countless other sneakers and collections have faced the same fate. Still, it’s at least a little surprising that a 2019 New Balance collaboration with a relatively small brand like Aimé Leon Dore also had the authorities get involved, isn’t it? 

Excitement for something unexpected is what a well-timed, well-executed collaboration like this one can create. Brands, take notes. It’s no secret that New Balance has had a strong year. The 990 swapped its status as a true “dad” shoe for a reputation that signals the wearer is in-the-know. Meanwhile, Aimé Leon Dore has steadily built a dedicated following among the elevated streetwear crowd, producing high-quality staples and more refined tailoring pieces that attract a range of customers. 

Combine the momentum of both brands with an eminently wearable set of sweats, an agreeable green/blue colorway on the reliable 990v5 and a can’t-take-your-eyes-off-it combination on the rarely seen 990v2 and you have the ‘Life in Balance’ release. The collection had legs. The entire thing sold out on ALD’s website and the sneakers gave casual followers and fervent sneakerheads something to consider when it comes to their year-end top 10 lists.  

Hype for a high-profile Nike or Adidas collaboration is predictable. But when something steals the moment out of left field like Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance did, the endless hype cycle doesn’t feel so bad after all. —Skylar Bergl

Not many brands saw as much of an uptick in exposure as Cactus Plant Flea Market did in 2019. Cynthia Lu’s brainchild had accumulated a cult following in the years prior, thanks to heavy cosigns from figures likes Pharrell and Kid Cudi, but it really hit its stride over the past 365 days. 

CPFM’s biggest project was a capsule collection with industry titan Nike, released this past October that boasted a teal anorak that became one of its most desirable pieces. At first glance, it’s apparent that CPFM had a hand in the design. Giant Nike Air branding stamped on the front pouch is the most eye-catching detail, but tons more retro-inspired logos grace the teal pullover. A crudely-shaped yellow smiley face, CPFM’s signature mark that feels like the symbol of the DIY aesthetic that dominated much of streetwear in 2019. is another notable highlight. 

Like most of its goods, this anorak had no issue selling out the same morning it launched. Tons of people have added the piece to their wardrobe, most notably LeBron James when he stomped through the Staples Center tunnel earlier this season. It nows sits at around double its retail price of $200 on the aftermarket. While that’s common for most of Lu’s creations right now, this one with Nike represents the brand reaching a new pinnacle of success. —Mike DeStefano

It should go without saying that Virgil Abloh’s influence on the fashion industry—and any/all culturally-adjacent industries—has been extraordinary. A large part his brand recognition and influence can be summarized by his use of Helvetica-riddled phrases inside quotation marks, but the thinking behind its meaning has gone beyond sneakers or fashion and has captured the attention of the art world. So, when it was announced that Abloh would be taking part in a limited collection with IKEA's 5th annual ART EVENT in May, it was no secret that Abloh was going to continue pushing his modus operandi to the mainstream. 

The decorative antique Persian-inspired rug featured a large "KEEP OFF" that anyone not in-the-know would scratch their head at—to which you'd answer, "It's subversive art," alongside an annoyed eye-roll. Oh, and the hype? There were campers queued around the block at each of the furniture store's locations for the $499 rug, including the flagship store in Manhattan. Long lines. At IKEA. For a rug. That is now reselling for double the retail price. Let that sink in a little bit and try to debate that Abloh isn't one of the most impactful designers in the business. —Nick Grant 

Limited edition cereal is nothing new. Wheaties has released special boxes with a rotating cast of athletes for decades, Post made the Rugrats-inspired Reptar Crunch and Kellogg’s put all of its iconic mascots on a single box to support the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. But in 2019, a different Puff lit a spark and kickstarted a hype cycle: the unlikely collaboration between Reese’s and Travis Scott. 

At $50 a box, this was more of a collector’s item than a meal you pick up at the grocery store. There, you don’t usually have to worry about an item being sold out. The release landed in late June online and a pop-up shop in Paris with an iridescent finish on the cardboard that featured the Travis Scott action figure front and center. On the cover, he’s holding a special “Enjoy Today” spoon—that also released and sold out alongside the “Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk” bowl, of course. In seconds, the cereal sold out, quickly winding up on Grailed and eBay for upwards of $150. 

Did any of these Travis-approved Puffs actually land in that cereal bowl he paired them with? For some clickbaity YouTubers trying to capitalize on the hype, the answer is of course, yes. But for anyone who couldn’t get the big-ticket item on the first try, a mass-market version with a different design hit Walmart shelves, along with other big box grocery retailers—this time, without the four-digit markup on resale sites. —Skylar Bergl

South Korean designer Bajowoo might not be a household name in the fashion space, but his brand 99%IS did produce one of the most popular pairs of pants of the year. 

Founded in 2012, the brand has been able to accrue a cult following with its punk-inspired garments. It biggest moment came at the top of the year when the Gobchang pants, named after a popular Korean dish that incorporates the small intestines of cattle or pigs, first made their debut. The unique style is guaranteed to turn some heads with its signature detail, various bungee cords scattered across each leg that could be tightened or loosened depending on the wearer's desired fit. 

The pants are on the pricier side, retailing at a cool $870, but still had no issue selling out from the brand’s online store and other stockists whenever new colorways dropped. Reason being, some of the biggest rappers were caught wearing them. Playboi Carti rocked a red pair on stage at Coachella. Travis Scott was seen in the style multiple times. Offset, Skepta, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin also showed love to Bajowoo’s creation this year too. Never underestimate the influence that hip-hop has on fashion trends. These pants are just the latest example of the impact it can have for a brand's notoriety. —Mike DeStefano