Stussy history and all tags
We will divide the entire post into several topics.
- How did Stussy come about?
- Where to buy new and used stussy?
- The histories of all Stussy labels divided by production years
- A look at every Stussy tag throughout history
Stussy is an iconic clothing brand, founded in 1980 by Shawn Stussy in California, USA. The brand gained huge popularity in the 80s and 90s thanks to its unique designs and style, which combined elements of surfing, skateboarding and hip-hop culture. At the age of 13, Shawn Stussy started by hand painting surfboards in his garage with a distinctive logo that resembled his name signature. With his recognizable signature, he paid tribute to both the graffiti style and his uncle - abstract painter Jan Frederick Stussy. Shawn worked hard, creating boards was so good that at the age of 15 he was noticed by a surfboard manufacturer. After graduating from high school, he led a free and quiet life. Shawn's parents were the founders of a printing company, where he could learn the basics of operating screens in his free time. The creation of clothing was purely accidental - it all started with Shawn's love for surfing.
Shawn continued to make surfboards, which had a significant impact on the industry. At 24, he decided to open a surf shop in Laguna Beach in 1979. The shop eventually added new items for sale, including clothing. Shawn took orders for T-shirts and sweatshirts. He then began making Bermuda shorts, as he explained to WWD: “A few of my buddies and I would go to the Army and Navy surplus stores and buy size 40 khakis and cut them off at the top of the knee. Everyone said, ‘These are great!’ so we started making them. My mom made a pattern out of them. We started taking orders. Frank Sinatra Jr. helped him make and package the orders, and he saw more potential in the business than Shawn realized. They had surfed together as teenagers, but Sinatra was now an accountant and had the business acumen that Stussy lacked. Sinatra convinced Stussy that his fledgling clothing company had great promise and offered to invest $5,000 to become his official partner. In 1983, they joined forces and in 1984 founded Stussy Inc., with Stussy handling service design and Sinatra taking on business responsibilities. On March 27, 1986, the company registered the Stussy trademark in the United States.
Stussy’s strategy proved so effective that in 1987, the company moved to a 4,000-square-foot office in Irvine, California, while Shawn Stussy also ran a design studio in the garage of his Laguna Niguel home. In 1988, the company introduced its clothing line to Europe, where it was an immediate success. By the late 1980s, the company was doing about $5 million a year. Its clothes were available not only in local surf shops but also in high-end boutiques in New York, England, Australia, and Japan. As a designer, Shawn Stussy traveled the world, connecting with trendsetters and building fans for his brand.
Shawn Stussy and Sinatra decided to resist the temptation to expand production or license the Stussy brand for different products. The partners, not interested in quick profits, opted for a long-term profitability strategy through limited growth and never completely meeting the demand for Stussy products. That way, Stussy products were not available everywhere and remained fresh for customers. In addition to the business arguments, it was also a matter of lifestyle. As Shawn Stussy explained in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, “We have no desire to expand or open new accounts. We feel that we can continue for many years, sleep well at night, enjoy our children growing up and not worry about the casualties of our business. You have to look back 10 or 20 years, and nobody in America does that. People just want money now. They want instant gratification. But then they burn out, especially in the fashion industry.”
As the apparel industry grew, the surfboard business gradually declined in importance, and was eventually transferred to a licensee who operated on a smaller scale. About twenty surfboards were produced each month, and their retail price was significantly different from other high-quality boards—in keeping with the exclusive approach Stussy took to marketing his apparel products. Shawn Stussy continued to spend his free time shaping boards for himself and his friends, becoming known for his appeal to business travel.
Stussy, Inc.'s annual revenues hovered around $35 million, which seemed stable and satisfactory to both Shawn Stussy and Sinatra. However, in late 1995, rumors began to circulate that Stussy was considering leaving the company that bears his name. In January 1996, it became official when he resigned as president of the company, although he agreed to remain as a consultant. There was no apparent envy over his departure. As Sinatra told the press, "This is not a hostile move," explaining that Stussy "wanted to enjoy life and be free from the pressures of running a business." Despite plans to spend more time in Hawaii with his family, Shawn Stussy remained a consultant for Stussy, Inc. and planned to continue operating boutiques in New York and Los Angeles. Sinatra subsequently bought out his partner's interest.
Sinatra planned to run Stussy in the same manner, but observers questioned whether the company could maintain its lead without the original designer's involvement. Still, the brand was firmly entrenched in the market, and Stussy continued to occupy its place in the fashion world, generating annual revenues of about $35 million. The company continued to eschew traditional marketing and promotion, although in 2000 it decided to sponsor several skateboarders for the first time to bolster its brand. Meanwhile, Stussy's womenswear began to gain traction as more women found themselves choosing the brand's products, originally aimed at men in their 20s and 30s. As a result, Stussy introduced a full women's collection for fall 2001, designed by Pauline Takahashi, a Los Angeles-born designer who had previously created her own label for overseas retailers. The new collection was "more fashionable" than Stussy's streetwear menswear, according to a company spokesman.
Also in 2001, rumors surfaced that Sinatra was considering selling the company, with Italian clothing company Diesel Jeans SpA as a potential buyer. Diesel, with annual revenues ten times greater than Stussy, was interested in acquisitions to accelerate its growth. Renzo Rosso, Diesel's owner and CEO, expressed a preference for owning brands over licensing. The rumors of a sale were fueled by Sinatra, who, despite his infrequent travel, traveled to Italy to meet with Diesel executives. The hiring of a former Diesel designer and other moves were seen by observers as preparation for a possible sale. It is not certain whether Stussy was sold to Diesel, but Sinatra ultimately retained ownership of the brand, which, 20 years later, remains a fixture in youth fashion worldwide.
Shawn also has a separate profile dedicated to stussy. Every now and then Shawn sells his samples or very hard to find designs https://www.shawnvintage.com/
In 2022, a Stussy Talk Worldwide user posted about one of the OG stores that carries Stussy gear.
Dr. Jives circa 1992 with a circa Stussy window showing a Stussy Sista, Stussy Pullover Shell Jacket, dealer signs and stickers, and on top, an oversized Stussy Stock logo sticker that I custom made for the window (thanks I'm wearing Stussy beach pants with a Ralph Lauren plaid shirt, Foundation Super Co jacket, and leather Puma Clydes Thanks OG @shawnstussy
"That's how it all started. I had just turned 18 in 1987 when I opened my first shop, Dr Jives, located in Glasgow, Scotland. Originally selling hand-picked Vintage American Clothing, specialising in workwear, military and denim, which had a lasting, defining influence on my life. By 1989 I was a pioneering retailer in streetwear culture and one of the OG Stussy stockists in the UK, buying from Chuckie B at M-Zone in London and Tony Coffey from Rollermania in 1990. I became Stussy's largest independent stockist in the UK, with the merger of Streetwear with Heritage Brands and higher end menswear in the 90s and early 2000s. Exciting times build key ingredients and layers that have influenced many of the shops we have today. Further untold stories come from the official Dr Jives Archives (1987-2004). Respect, Shawn Stussy"
Some of the most popular Stussy-related Instagram accounts:
Where to buy new and used stussy?
There are several places and websites to purchase used and new items from stussy:
- archivebyx.com
- stussy stationary and online store
- depop (no verification of originality of items)
- grailed (no verification of items' authenticity)
- vinted (no verification of originality of items)
- facebook groups ( Stüssy Talk Worldwide or groups from your country)
- facebook marketplace
- stockx
The history of all Stussy labels divided by production year:
Top Stussy collectors:
1. ABE HIROYUKI - Japan (probably the biggest Stussy collector in the world
A look at every Stussy tag throughout history:
T-shirts and sweatshirts:
Shirts:
Hats:
Jackets:
Sweatshirts and sweaters:
Pants:
