Supreme's New Collection Looks Old (in a Good Way)
Supreme is arguably no longer at the height of its powers but it's objectively not out of the streetwear game, not by a long shot. Supreme's Fall/Winter 2023 collection hints at a return to form, teasing a drop that may yet rejuvenate the streetwear trailblazer as it approaches its 30th anniversary.
On August 8, Supreme debuted a first look at its FW23 collection, offering a sole image, as is the norm for its collection teasers. The plain photo simply shows a Supreme skate team member with mussed hair and a classic grey Supreme hoodie that sports Supreme's inimitable Box Logo with a camo pattern.
Say what you will about contemporary Supreme, but those Bogo hoodies are never not gonna be in demand and the fans are already getting excited about what this reveal suggests for Supreme's FW23 season.
Camouflage Box Logos hold a special place in Supreme's history. This exact design — a grey hoodie with camo Bogo — is appears to be a reference to the hoodies that Supreme released in 1995 as part of its first anniversary collection. Original camo Bogo hoodies now sell for upwards of $3,000 so you can imagine that the new ones aren't gonna stick around for long.
To be fair, with or without nostalgia attached, Supreme fans need little prodding to sell out Bogo hoodies but quick. They're perhaps the most classic and consistently coveted item in the entire Supreme catalogue.
Supreme last issued camouflage Box Logo pieces for Fall/Winter 2021 but the Bogos were plain while the hoodies wore camo. Not quite the same, though they did fly off the Supreme web store as quickly as you'd expect.
Supreme, founded in 1994, has ridden fluctuations in popularity over the years, typical of any historic streetwear brand.
Supreme was immensely popular in early '10s but immediately become the most vital brand on the planet after 2017's Louis Vuitton collaboration, and rode that high for several more years.
Though its output has only improved under new creative director Tremaine Emory — who's rumored to be even more hands-on with the FW23 collection — Supreme's cultural impact has visibly lessened and its yearly revenue has disappointed new parent company VF Corp. Even the normally impressive secondhand market for Supreme has soured while a would-be Supreme/Balenciaga tie-up was canceled, as both brands suffered blows to their credibility.
Fans have long complained in Supreme's comment section about the designs — they want the old stuff! Supreme heads have been saying variations of this for years and years so it's worth taking the whinging with a grain of salt but, still, it's there. But, then, Supreme unveiled its FW23 Box Logo and the prickly Supreme Instagram page was suddenly awash in positivity and praise. Funny how that works.
Not that the haters have slowed Supreme's roll. It continues churning out skate clips, high-profile collaborations, saleable sneakers, and even new stores as part of an expansion push: Supreme opened three stores in the past year alone and is rumored to have another on the way.
Perhaps Fall/Winter 2023 will bring about the second (or third or fourth or whatever) coming of Supreme. Its teaser certainly suggests that, as the fans have demanded for over a decade, the Supreme of old may be coming back.
This article was published on August 8 at 10:45am EST and updated to reflect details about Supreme's new collection.
