Supreme to Open in San Francisco (and We Have Some Fantasy West Coast Collaborations in Mind)
Skate-wear giant Supreme is known for its hype beast devotees, ever-vocal haters, and out-of-the-box collaborations—both official and unofficial.
And there have been some weird ones: a Supreme edition of the New York Post; a New York City metrocard that boasted the iconic Futura font; a giant crucifix that led a cavalcade of disciples down the Bowery earlier this year. There have also been some controversial—and legally tenuous—pairings. Take, for example, that time Louis Vuitton sued Supreme in the ’90s for copyright infringement, before the luxury label eventually capitulated and collaborated with the streetwear brand in 2017, selling LV-monogrammed travel trunks, pillows, and hoodies galore. Or that time Barbara Kruger called the people behind the brand “a ridiculous clusterfuck of totally uncool jokers” after they appropriated her work. She had the last laugh when she partnered with Volcom for some skate merch in 2017.
Going viral and producing meme-able, gimmicky stunts has been a cornerstone of the brand since its inception. Even Anna Delvey, the infamous SoHo scammer, could often be seen in a signature Supreme hoodie.
New York hype beasts are no doubt using their monogrammed kerchiefs to wipe away tears after the announcement that the store’s iconic SoHo location on Lafayette Street will shut down. But when one store closes, another opens, this time in San Francisco. So what strange, West Coast-specific collaborations will the brand’s second California outpost—which joins an existing location in Los Angeles—bring about? We have some suggestions.
Supreme x In-N-Out Burger
A Double-Double burger and french fries are arranged for a photograph at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Costa Mesa, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013. In-N-Out, with almost 280 units in five states, is valued at about $1.1 billion based on the average price-to-earnings, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Just about anyone from California will throw hands if you try to tell them that In-N-Out Burgers aren’t the best fast food in the world. Can you even imagine how long the drive-thru line would be if In-N-Out debuted a Supreme-branded wrapper?
Supreme x Angelyne
Picture Angelyne, in all her platinum blonde glory, decking out her signature pink Corvette with the Supreme logo and cruising down the PCH. Talk about stopping traffic.
Supreme x Red Vines
Photo courtesy of (@redvinescandy)[https://www.instagram.com/p/BsyJawfhmCp/].
The great Twizzlers vs Red Vines licorice debate could actually be solved if Supreme lent their branding skills to the latter. And hey, the packaging is already red.
Supreme x The Hollywood Sign
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 01: Hollywood sign changed to Hollyweed on January 01, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
The Hollywood sign was rebranded as “Hollyweed” in June 2017, when a man named Zachary Cole Fernandez messed with the landmark (and was promptly arrested.) As fun as it would be to change the letters to Supreme’s beloved Futura font, it would also be kind of hard. So why don’t we let the skaters have some fun and slap a bunch of Supreme stickers on it instead?
Supreme x BART
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – OCTOBER 15: Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) passengers wait to board a train on October 15, 2013 in San Francisco, California. BART management and union leaders with Bay the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 and the SEIU Local 1021 continue to negotiate a new contract for workers as the threat of a transit strike continues to loom over the heads of Bay Area commuters. BART, the nation’s fifth-largest commuter rail system, carries nearly 400,000 passengers every weekday. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
If New Yorkers got to have the Supreme-branded MTA metro card, then why can’t the Bay Area get the same treatment?
Supreme x The Grove
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES: 4/4 TO GO WITH AFP STORY: US-SOCIETY-DISTRIBUTION-REAL ESTATE An electric tram provides transportation and entertainment for visitors to The Grove outdoor shopping mall 24 April, 2006, in Los Angeles. The Grove was inaugurated in 2002 and spreads out over more than 15 acres (five hectares). Its owner, the promoter Rick Caruso, claims that 18 million people visit the mall a year, more than Disneyland. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
The Grove isn’t just any mall—it’s a mecca for overindulgence and consumerism, complete with dancing fountains and a trolley that shuttles shoppers from one store to the next. At this point, a self-aware, tongue-in-cheek collaboration with Supreme is all The Grove is missing.
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