INTRODUCING STUSSY
NTRODUCING STUSSY
One of the most influential streetwear brands of all time, Stussy has been a leading force in the fashion industry. From skaters, club kids, surfers and hip hop influence, the brand speaks for itself. Here's a timeline of how Stussy became what it is today.
1980: Shawn Stussy started out as a surfboard shaper out of California. He wanted to sell boards. As an experiment he started to screenprint his name in a graffiti style as a form of promotion. The logo was inspired by his uncles signature, Jan Stussy. Continuing to rework the year 1980 as a theme in clothes and branding.
1984: Stussy begins to produce shirts and the clothing with the graffiti logo begin to gain traction within the California surf scene. At this point, the clothing is becoming more popular than the surfboards. He begins to dive headfirst into design, produce and selling with a line of workwear inspired basics. The complete opposite of the popular print heave surf trends at the time.
1986 - 1989: Now having a cult like following in California, Stussy was growing rapidly. During a time when youth culture was shifting style and streetwear. Stussy decided to mimic hip-hop and street culture by mixing them with the stussy link logo. They start to produce caps, which changed the way hats were seen - formerly caps were known as a sport accessorie. The "S" logo hat became the bestselling Stussy item in the 1980s.
1991: The first Stussy boutique opens up in Manhattan. Stussy was coming up at the right place in the right time, and began to influence a movement. Stussy shyed away from general marketing, instead letting customers advertise the pieces for themselves. They were sold at limited stores and therefor had the perfect balance of accessibility and exclusivity.
1990s: The beginning of "The International Stussy Tribe" - a brand founded by indiviuals all over the world, collaborating to endorse the brand through their own attitudes and beliefs. As Stussy grew, the influence came from musicians, artists, djs, skaters and trendsetters. The designs continued to reference underground subcultures, speaking to the place where these worlds come together.
1997: Stussy drops its first collaboration, a G-Shock watch with Casio. Since, collabing has been a massive part in the identity of Stussy, bringing in brands like Dr. Martens, Nike and Vans, as well as Levi's.
2002 - Present: Stussy has had a massive turnaround in the last decade. Limited edition collaborations continue to shape Stussy clothing with the exclusivity they experienced back in the 80s and 90s. The mindset and work ethic of Stussy has influenced countless small labels to follow in their footsteps. Stussy has now opened 58 more brand stores, and is still a top player in the streetwear scene.
