The Rise of Supreme in the Middle East
We have all seen it, the simple white italic lettering pasted over a plain red background. The label that has turned a wide array of items from classic box-logo t-shirts and clay bricks into unfathomable high demand products that has led to the longest superfan lines ever to be seen. Supreme is a brand that has truly transformed fashion industries all over the world. Starting off with a small skateboard based store in SoHo Manhattan, the store has grown into a global luxury power-house that has touched many parts of the world. From Paris to Tokyo to London, the hype behind the brand has not only called for the emergence of so-called Supremeheads, but has also managed to lure many across the world stage. However, other than the renowned international fashion hubs, a region where the streetwear staple gains a great deal of popularity would be the Middle East. If one were to walk around the malls of Dubai or the high-end souks of Kuwait, it would be almost impossible to not catch someone wearing the iconic brand. Despite this, many may argue that Supreme in fact does not translate well into the Middle East due to its indirect involvement in regional conflict, I personally argue that Supreme seamlessly appeals to the Arab demographic by incorporating messages and designs that are in sync with multiple aspects of Arab beliefs.
When looking at Supreme’s origins, it is seen that the brand has stemmed from the ideologies of skate culture. This in turn has enabled them to continually promote strong messages that compel to the beliefs of the Arab youth skate population. With skaters having common norms behind them, Supreme has purposefully targeted those who value creativity and freedom. This being said, it is no wonder that the label has attracted many skaters within the Middle Eastern region. For instance, according to Adam Sahlstedt — a Swedish born skateboarder — the skating population within the UAE is immense and is continually growing “with new parks being built all the time and more and more people taking up the sport.” This same trend is also being observed by skateboard instructors in Kuwait as the growing skating scene has the “potential to become a tourist destination that would attract international and professional skaters.” This evidently illustrates that keen interest in skateboarding within the Arab region is perfectly in sync with the culture that Supreme represents. Moreover, the theme of rebelliousness that comes with the growing popularity of skateboarding resonates extremely well with the message of anti-authority that Supreme is grounded in. Lastly, with Supreme focusing on ideas of skater unity and collectivism through their content on social media, many Arab skating communities have become more tight knit and have placed great importance on self-expression by wearing the brands simplistic designs as a force to bind them together.
This same idea of collectivism and simplicity that Supreme promotes is also in line with the many of the religious beliefs that the majority of the Arab demographic holds. Curated from the creative mind of James Jebbia, it can be seen that the majority of Supreme’s merchandise is usually characterized by their prominent box-logo being carefully printed on t-shirts and hoodies that range in basic colors. This minimalistic approach to their design directly aligns with Arabian culture due to the fact that many of them prefer uniform colors as seen with their common abayas and dishdashas. This value in simplicity is derived from their strong beliefs in customary Islamic ideologies that stress the importance of conservativeness. A specific garment that exemplifies Supreme’s sense of appeal to the Islamic religion would be their “Black Supreme Arabic Logo Hooded Sweatshirt.” Through looking at this hoodie, we not only see the basic elements of minimalism that come into play with traditional Supreme-specific designs, but it is also noted that there is Arabic writing stitched across the middle that translates to the word Subhan. In Arab culture, Subhan exhibits an explicit meaning of praise Allah or Hallelujah. This goes to show that through the use of simplistic designs as well as spiritually meaningful Arabic language, Supreme has emphasized inclusivity through appealing to the religious beliefs of the Middle Eastern population.
Such religious beliefs, however, don’t solely rest on the concept of simplicity, but also shapes societal norms by placing importance on social standing. With Middle Easterners having strong beliefs on how one views them in terms of where they stand in the social hierarchy, Supreme effectively manages to appeal to such through rare engagement in elaborate collaborations. If we were to dig deeper into Supreme’s sales model, it is seen that a key reason as to why demand almost never plummets is due to the scarcity of the product. Additionally, business experts such as John Greathouse — writer for Forbes magazine — have also claimed that the garments and accessories that are produced by the brand are actually considered as veblen goods — ones that generate more demand as price increases. A notable example of this would be “Supreme x Louis Vuitton Red Sweatshirt” that had an original retail price of $935, but is now selling in the range of $4,300-$6,500 due to its extremely limited supply. The exclusivity that comes with such Supreme items creates a sense of prestige that reflects well with the excessive materialism that exists within Arab Society. But what about other brands? Why does Supreme out of all name brands appeal to Middle Eastern materialism the most? Well, the main reason would be due to the fact that it is the most expensive brand out there. With some products selling up to $100,000, Supreme is known to be at the top of the line among all streetwear brands, and that stature in itself draws many Arabs as it most effectively displays economic power that shapes valued perceptions and beliefs on social standing. Moreover, in recent years, Middle Easterners have increased spending on luxury goods such as Supreme apparel, due to the fact that they are constantly living on the edge. From the Gulf War to the Beirut Blast, many Arabs have refrained from the notions of saving and security, and have quickly transitioned into indulging in spending culture so they have the opportunity to enjoy the money they earn and not lose it to regional conflict.
On the topic of conflict, while it may be a driving force behind the purchasing of the brand, it is also used as a critique to its appeal to Middle Eastern society. Some have argued that while Supreme does align with spending patterns and various values of Arab culture, the brand fails to reflect well across specific parts of the Middle East due to its remote involvement in Arab territorial tensions. You may be wondering: How exactly is a luxury skateboard label connected to international disputes? Well, according to an Esquire article written by political writer Jake Falnigin, the connection is embedded in an underlying relationship between Supreme and it’s partnering shareholder — The Carlyle Group — one of the most shadiest players in financial services. Through the article, it is seen that The Carlyle Group is financially involved with London-based BAE systems that is known to be “the largest defense and security contractor in Europe.” This defense system is responsible for supplying “combat aircrafts” to Saudi Arabia that have been used in proxy wars against Yemen and Iran. This interconnected system has in turn led some to believe that Supreme’s public image is indeed tainted in the Middle East and that buying luxury goods from them is rooted is something much deeper than just fashion which results in unsuccessful translation. While I do agree that such shady relationships that connect to Middle Eastern tensions do hinder the successful translation of Supreme into the Arab world, I also believe that it does not have a great impact due to the fact that the average consumer is not aware of such complex relations. If one were to study Supreme’s consumer behavior and knowledge, it would be seen that the majority of these luxury shoppers would have had no idea of such relations unless extensive research has been conducted on the background of the brand. Additionally, due to the complexity of such connections, many may even point fingers at The Carlyle Group due to their already existing poor reputation and more direct involvement, and not to Supreme as they only play an extremely remote role in such issues.
From their historical messages to their captivating design, Supreme as a brand contains many elements that effectively entices a Middle Eastern audience. At the core of such successful translation lies the effects of globalization. A century ago, one would have never thought that traditional American accessories and clothing would become so prevalent within Arab society. However, through the establishment of a highly interconnected global system, we have started to see trends of increasing acceptance of goods produced from different cultures and regions. As for Supreme, we have seen that the factors of prestige, simplicity and skating history that comes with the brand haven’t lost meaning despite its travel to different parts of the world. This ability to stay grounded has led to their continuous growth and appeal to the Arab region and has transformed the way in which we perceive modern fashion.
