OUGD601 - Context of Practice 3 interviews for essay and practical

These are the interviews i did with the Supreme fans on the 8th of December at the box logo release, i got some really good interviews that are going to be really good in my practical but also in my essay. these will really help at proving the research i find and to find out an answer to the question.
This the equipment i used to get the interviews.

INTERVIEW 8

Brands such as Supreme seems to have gained popularity quite quickly in the past few years, do you think this has developed organically or do you think brand collaboration plays a factor in this?

My step mum used to walk past this Supreme store everyday and see the Supreme X Air Jordan 5 trainers in the window, now if those trainers were on sale here the queue around the block like there is today. I think the brands got big on its own because it’s had the right people wearing it and it’s just how things start by the right people wearing the clothes. People will buy the collaboration pieces now for the Supreme label, rather than the Air Jordan or the North Face element.

Do you buy Supreme products because you like the clothing they produce or because of the image Supreme has?

Yeah, it’s all about the image. As I’ve walked down the street with the peach box logo on, people are staring and taking pictures. Supreme has a massive online following, on apps like Instagram, there are always such sick photographs of people in Supreme clothes, people will see me in the clothes and associate me with what they see online. 

So would you buy an item from Supreme if it didn’t say Supreme on it, or it was subtle?

I wouldn’t buy it no and this has happed to me all the time, there are things like that’s are nice but if I’m spending all this money on this and it says a tiny word of Supreme no one is going to see it. So what’s the point of me wearing something that cost me a lot of money and no one is going to recognise it.

You’ve queued here to buy these products for hours this morning, would you say that’s because you’ve become obsessed with the brand and you want to be a part of it?

I always follow the drops online so I know exactly what is going to be on sale and when but I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed like addicted, because I can see when some of the clothes aren’t worth the effort of queuing and the money. It’s more the brand I’m interested in, even if I really liked a jumper Primark was selling, I wouldn’t go out and queue to spend silly money on it, I want it because its Supreme and limited edition, its become a hobby.  

For some people the process of buying these products has become a hobby but it has also become a way to make money, what do you think about the resale of Supreme products?

I know a lot of people who have made mini businesses out of the resale of these products. As they are limited edition and not everyone has the time to queue up for to buy them themselves, the only way they can get their hands on them is to buy them from someone who has. This means the reseller can ask for up to 5 times the retail price.  People have already come up to me offering £500 for the peach box logo hoody I bought for £138!  

Interview 7

Do you wear the brand or is Supreme wearing you?

The brand wears you. They literally sold a brick, did you know that, for £28 and it was reselling for £60. They made a key ring with a ball bag on it, a fucking crowbar and a fire extinguisher. Us mugs queued up and bought ball bag key rings!

So would you say people are buying it just because it says Supreme on the products?

They are buying hype that Supreme has, that’s what they are doing. Don’t get me wrong the quality of the clothes is good, but that’s not what’s attracting the crowds. People want to be seen the same way as they see the other people queuing here. It is all about creating the image of how you want to be seen by everyone else.

How often would you come and queue up?

I’m here every week.

I can see that you have queued up, but you don’t have any bags of clothes, do you keep it for yourself or would you resell?

Boy, what do you think? It’s gone! If there were no resellers, there would be no hype. Resellers make £150 jumpers worth £400, yet people are happy to pay way more than its shelf value to get their hands on it, so if people didn’t resell Supreme it wouldn’t have the value it does.

Why do you think people are so obsessed with the brand that they would buy the products for such high mark up?

There was a peach hoodie sold around the corner for £800.  Whoever bought that hoodie is so obsessed with the way that he is going to be perceived wearing it that his image is more important to him than his bank balance. Everyone that knows about Supreme knows how hard it is to get the limited edition clothes and how much they resale for, he wants to be seen as part of that community and he will be, so for him and others its worth the money.

That’s crazy, £800 for a hoodie!

You know what, there is money in everything at the end of the day. Some people will get two, keep one and sell the other so they’ve made a small profit. For me, I just sell everything.

You’re not bothered about being seen as ‘part of the Supreme community’?

You have to be detached from something to make money. If I like a jumper or hat, I will get one and keep it, but most of the clothing is generic now and people buy it purely for the label. I don’t feel the need to be seen in a certain way.

  

INTERVIEW 6

Why do you shop at supreme?

I like how the clothing is really unique. There is some really loud clothing but also nice subtle clothing that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.  

So would you buy subtle Supreme clothing?

To be honest, those are the items I prefer at Supreme. I know I’m wearing a box logo now but I do proffer the subtle clothes. But then again if it stands out to me I will buy it no matter how much it’s branded.

Would you say people buy Supreme because of the brand image and the hype around it?

These days its all about the image and the hype. When I first started buying Supreme clothes it was completely different. In 2012 there was a box logo drop and I literally didn’t even buy one.  I didn’t ever think that they would have the hype they do now. I walked in and there was a box logo on the shelf and there wasn’t even a queue. I didn’t want one, I wanted a hat, I remember looking at them and thinking £128 is so expensive for a hoodie.

And now they are resold at a massive mark up.

I feel that’s why a lot of people are into it now. I don’t like that aspect of it all though, I hate seeing a piece of clothing I want on everyone else, it has put me off a little bit. That’s why I am more into the subtle pieces now, as I’m less likely to see someone else in it, and if I do, its less obvious.

Would you say most of the people buy the brand because it says Supreme on it, rather than for the product itself?

Defiantly, looking around you can see these guys buying to sell and you see a lot of kids buying to maybe seek approval from their peers. I used to skate, so I first got into Supreme by seeing people at the skate parks or on videos wearing Supreme hats. I wanted to be like them so I would Google it, and bought my first Supreme item. Now the brand is popular so I’ve carried on following it and buying the clothes. I’m glad they have kept most of the clothes limited edition even though, keeps the hype.

INTERVIEW 5

People are obsessed with the brand, would you say its just because of the image?

It’s the hype surrounding the drops and trying to get the clothes. I think it will die soon in 5 or 10 years time.

Do you think all the brands like Supreme will die also?

Not all brands but brands like Supreme will die soon. At the moment it’s at a peak right now, you see, like 5 years ago it was nothing. I remember I came with my brother here 2013, I think it was a North Face collaboration; I came in the mid-morning and got the jacket I wanted. And now there are already over 1000 people here already. It can’t sustain this, the clothes are all similar, and there is only so much they can do to make it all new and exciting. The more drops they do, the more similar products there will be, so they wont be ‘limited’ anymore, so people wont want them.

INTERVIEW 4

     

Why do you shop at Supreme?

I think what original got me into it was the exclusivity, I do think inspiration does effect a lot of people you see certain characters wearing it and it does draw you into it. People deny that but it’s defiantly true. If you think someone is cool wearing something you’re automatically looking into that brand. And that’s what started it.   

Do you think people are obsessed with brand, rather than the produce it self?

In all honestly, I think I personally wouldn’t buy something I don’t like. But, I think if two identical items were on sale, one was Supreme and the other an unknown brand or generic, like Top Man, I wouldn’t even look at the other so 100% I believe it does.

 So lets say there was an item that came out and it had Supreme discreetly on it but looked like a generic item that could be bought on the high street, would you buy it?

I personal would, but when I started buying the stuff 5 or 6 years ago maybe not so much, I wanted it for the brand. Now, I like the products they make, rather than the brand itself. For example, the cardigans, long sleeve polo tops and even the dungarees, I like them and they not largely branded items. Although I would say 80 or 90% of their costumers would only buy stuff that had Supreme all over it.  

INTERVIEW 03

What are you looking to get today?

The Peach or Red Box Logo Hoody.

Why do you think people buy Supreme products?

A lot of people do wear it for the quality and the brand but a lot of people do just wear it for the hype and how much it is worth. You wouldn’t wear it if there wasn’t a hype, that’s the main attraction to it.

What do you think of Supremes brand?

It’s controversial at times, with some of the political statements they put on the clothes. They’ve got people to line up in masses just for a brand, but they have created so much hype and they have done it off there own back they haven’t had the support other brands have with TV ads ect, obviously they have had help with the celebrities that wear it but they have made there own statement.

Do you think it will keep going?

As long as there is hype it will stay going for as long as the hype is there.

Would you buy something from Supreme if it didn’t say Supreme on it and was low-key?

I got T-shirts that don’t say Supreme on them, the quality is decent and the prints are good so I will buy it but if its something I don’t like I won’t buy.

INTERVIEW 02

Would you say people here today are buying the clothes for an image or to be a part of something?

100%, its all hype, its all for the image, people look up to each other, their peers or celebrities and see what each other are wearing. Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger.

Do you think everyone here is trying to be a part of the same thing?

People spend crazy money for the clothes; the resale products go for three times the price. Everyone here wants to wear something that makes them a part of the Supreme brand, it’s like a uniform that people want to be in. You don’t get this in Australia; you might get 10 people queuing up for a shoe release.

Do you think people are here just to buy the name Supreme?

That’s it, it speaks for it selves with the box logo. It’s a clear they are here for the one image of the simple logo, and people have gone crazy for it. Its iconic you see someone wearing a box logo hoodie they are into street wear. You see some of the old boys that have been collecting for some years now.

INTERVIEW 01

Why do you shop at Supreme?

Maybe the reason I buy it I guess it makes you turn into someone else and feel good.

Do you think the people that come to the drop feel the need to wear something Supreme to fit in and feel accepted?

When you walk down the street people look you up and down to see if your worthy of getting something limited edition on sale. They stare at you to see what you’re wearing. You almost have to wear something, preferably everything, Supreme to feel like you fit in here.

Would you say that people are obsessed with the brand?

Yes, to be fair, it’s the younger generation. To younger people it’s a sense of belonging, people do it to fit in but people also argue it’s a community people who are interested in street wear brands its one big group. There’s a Facebook group where everyone helps each other out. There was some kid who was ten pounds short of something and everyone helped him to buy it so it’s not all bad. It’s a community.