Brand History - Stussy
The founder of the Stussy brand is surfer Shawn Stussy , born in 1954. He is considered a pioneer of the entire subculture and streetwear style. Probably if it weren't for his creative inventiveness, brands such as Supreme or Carhartt would not have been created.
The Origins of Stussy : From Surfboard to Global Logo
In February 1980, Stussy painted his name on a surfboard in the distinctive font that is now recognizable around the world. That's how the Stussy logo came to be – completely naturally.
Fairs and First T-shirts
As Shawn recalled in an interview – it all started at a fair in 1981/1982. At that time, he was producing surfboards and simply marked his creations with the word Stussy . On his way to the fair – the then unaware designer – put the word Stussy in white on black Hanes T-shirts. During the fair, 24 boards were sold, but it was the T -shirts that caught the eye of potential customers. Finally, one of them said he wanted 24 of those T-shirts and Stussy sold them to him for 8 bucks.
Development and Inspirations
Shawn decorated his surfboards with colorful graphics inspired by and drawing on themes from reggae, punk, and new wave music. And so the days, months, and years flew by – Shawn worked on his boards and surfed in the summer, and in the winter he went to the mountains at Mammoth Mountain. There he met Frank Sinatra Jr., an accountant who had a knack for running a business.
Stussy as a Clothing Company
In 1984, they founded Stussy together as a company that also produces clothing . Frank, along with entering into a partnership with Shawn, brought in $5,000 in capital to the brand. On March 27, 1986, Stussy was registered and reserved as a trademark. The gentlemen had no investors or outside financial influence. They wanted to develop the brand themselves and worked two jobs until they could support themselves from the clothing company.
Success and Development
Over time, the surfing business began to fade into the background. In the second half of the 80s, everyone wanted to draw from the atmosphere and style of the West Coast - and Stussy benefited from this. The style at that time revolved around art and streetwear , items that could be thrown on not only during the day, but also during night clubbing.
Iconic Graphics and Cultural Influence
In those years, most of the graphics and motifs were created, which became iconic for the brand and are still used today. They were a mix of pop culture of the time. Hip hop started to climb up, so Stussy changed the S in its logo, to a double SS inspired by the Chanel brand motif. The ' Stüssy No. 4' logo was also introduced, which was inspired by the popular Chanel fragrance.
Expansion and International Success
In 1987, the company moved to a much larger warehouse, while Shawn stayed in his garage studio in Laguna Niguel. A year later, the brand was introduced in Europe and was an immediate success.
Stussy Today: Culture & Influence
By the end of the 80s, Stussy was generating sales of $5 million. Their products were sold not only in surf shops, but also in the best places in New York, Japan and England. Stussy was developing year by year, profits were growing, as was interest in the brand.
Summary: Legacy and Future
People supported the brand so much that the Los Angeles Times called the phenomenon the International Stussy Tribe, where Tribe meant a group of people, homies and friends of the brand. Ordinary consumers wanted to join this group at all costs, and so the cult of the brand and desire for the product were created. The brand became recognizable all over the world without spending a fortune on marketing activities. Despite this, Shawn's clothes still appeared in various music videos and photos.
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