Before founding Supreme, James Jebbia worked with the streetwear brand Stüssy.
Jebbia’s experience with Stüssy gave him first-hand knowledge of the emerging connection between skateboarding, music, and casual clothing. Stüssy had already developed an influential international streetwear model, and Jebbia later applied related ideas to Supreme while building a more skate-focused New York identity.
Jebbia had also been involved with other fashion retail projects before Supreme, including the Union store in New York. However, Stüssy is the best-known brand association from his career before Supreme’s launch.
Supreme was founded in 1994, and its first shop opened on Lafayette Street. The brand’s early approach combined functional skate clothing with limited availability, a formula that eventually became central to modern streetwear culture.