Supreme Is Knocking Out The Streetwear Competition & Providing Re-Seller Gold (Videos)

In the “hype-beast” era of street-wear, Supreme has lived up to its name. The New York City-originated brand is 21-plus years deep in the game, and popularized by everybody from the late Harold Hunter, to Slick Rick, to Mike Tyson.

Behind the red-and-white lettering, is a sub-culture. Supreme’s cache extends from extremely limited edition runs, and a very cavalier attitude towards making money. With retail locations in NYC, Los Angeles, London, and five in Japan, James Jebbia’s brand has gone global, without ramping up its production. Due to this, the market value on items can often push well beyond what Supreme actually asks. In turn, re-selling plays a dominant role. From teenagers to forty-somethings, these enterprising fans line up, and purchase product–under security, buying limits, and increased pressure.

Complex News produced a four-part series, Sold Out: The Underground Economy of Supreme Resellers, that examines this culture. Interviewing resellers themselves (many guard their identities), Supreme security, and experts in fashion, styling, and NYC street culture, this story shows a lot about what’s in a name, and the sacrifice that comes with looking fresh. From the NYPD shutting down some sales, to just how inflated some values are, this documentary has edge (with three available as of December 16, 2015, and the fourth releasing into the playlist).

Is reselling smart-money, or ruining a vibrant street culture with inflated values and Internet capitalism?

Related: Today Is Harold Hunter Day. Remember The Skate Icon/”Kids” Star Through This Compilation (Video)