Thanks to the streetwear treasure trove that is Gary Warnett’s Gwarizm blog, we’ve managed to unearth an interview with Supreme’s James Jebbia from 2002. Originally conducted by Rift Trooper – a streetwear blog from way back – the short interview is a throwback to a time before the brand became a bona fide legend and caused riots on the streets of NYC. The interview also hints that a Supreme action figure may have been a possibility at some point – perhaps due to the Medicom and BE@BRICK craze that gripped streetwear during its heyday.
What’s your opinion on the secondary market of Supreme products (whether it be on eBay or in one of the many boutiques in Harajuku)?
JJ: I don¹t like it very much simply because we try our best to make our clothing affordable for young people, after all Supreme is a skate brand & when I do see our things on ebay the prices are normally at least double what they should be. Basically I don¹t like people getting jacked for a T-shirt. I much prefer if someone buys something from us that they plan on wearing it & not selling .
How did the Downlows [an obscure Air Force 1-esque sneaker Supreme released in 2001] come about?
JJ: Just through us trying to come up with a simple sneaker that represents our look.
Boxing imagery has features frequently in your prints etc. Who’s the boxing fan then?
JJ: I’m a BIG Ali fan & find him to be an awesome inspiration as a person as well as an incredible boxer.
Is the whole Supreme team involved with the range of products?
JJ: There’s a few heads who work on the stuff but not everyone, too many cooks!! You no the rest.
Any plans for an action figure?
JJ: Not at this moment
How does the whole Japanese magazine thing work? The Supreme team often are there modelling in the pages of Boon etc. – do you contact them or do they contact you?
JJ: I’m not sure really, my partner in Japan handles all of that. It seems to me though that Japanese magazines embrace underground culture much more so than European & American magazines do. In terms of the team modelling in the magazines etc that happens because people in Japan appreciate that we are a New York based company & we do our best to convey that whenever possible, so the crew from NY go out whenever its needed.
For more Supreme content, check out their full lineup of apparel with Jordan Brand.