Supreme has appointed Tremaine Emory as its new creative director, marking the first time the brand has publicly announced an external creative director hire. The move is so huge that the Business of Fashion called it “the first major creative appointment since it was acquired by VF Corp for $2.1 billion in late 2020.”
Emory will work alongside Supreme’s OG creative team. As the founder of Denim Tears — Emory’s alias — and No Vacancy Inn, these two successful and coveted apparel labels with unique pieces that reflect the African-American and Black experiences have solidified him as one of the freshest fashion designers in today’s culture.
“It’s a good move for Supreme,” Ross Wilson, one of the world’s most prominent Supreme collectors, said to British GQ. “When VF acquired the brand both parties promised the basic infrastructure, core team, and method of working would remain the same. It’s an extremely exciting chapter for Supreme and this can only be a positive move. Tremaine will definitely bring something new and thoughtful to the brand that we haven’t seen yet.”
Born in Atlanta and raised in the Jamaica neighborhood of New York City’s Queens borough, Emory moved to the United Kingdom in 2010. There, he demonstrated his keen sense of style at Marc Jacobs, where he worked for nine years and eventually rose to become a boutique manager in London. In 2019, he launched Denim Tears. Known for its cotton wreath-adorned denim jackets and jeans, the brand acquired a massive following, capturing the attention of culture titans like Lil Uzi Vert, Virgil Abloh, Kanye West, and Frank Ocean. Emory, who has described his work as a “storytelling art project,” notably released his capsule collection “Empire Windrush Nineteen Forty Eight” in September 2021 that was unveiled at London Fashion Week. The collection signified the pride for the African diaspora in London. His work has also been featured at New York City’s prestigious Met Museum.
Collaborations with Off-White, ASICS, Champion, New Balance, Nike, Converse, Ugg and Levi’s have catapulted Emory into the fashion spotlight. But perhaps the most successful of these was a jean design with Levi’s, in which they were covered in a painted cotton wreath motif and so successful that it led to a two-year partnership deal. According to the two brands, the wreaths referenced cotton being the raw material that creates denim, taking it back from its roots in American chattel slavery.
Through fostering change while continuing to build on the brand’s success, Emory’s appointment at Supreme will be one to watch. And his appointment, to put it plainly, also just makes sense. In the height of the racial justice protests in 2020, Supreme made a donation of $500,000, split between Black Lives Matter, Equal Justice Initiative, Black Futures Lab and Campaign Zero. Emory has often been outspoken about his passion for social justice, and he’s mused about how each of his creations are meticulously and thoughtfully crafted to signify the experience and importance of the African American community. And it is precisely this drive that harkens back to both the importance and popularity of his Levi’s partnership.
There’s no word yet on when we will start to see Emory’s work at Supreme start to hit stores, but when that happens, you’ll be able to grab them on StockX. Until then, we’ve selected a few of our favorite Emory essentials, which you can cop right now.
Stüssy x No Vacancy Inn Double Breasted Blazer
You may not initially think of a corduroy suit as a daily piece, but look again and you may just rethink everything. Whether you’re dressing it over a simple T-shirt or turtleneck, it’s a dapper, comfortable and sleek look for any occasion. Emory and NVI co-founder Ade Odunlami teamed up with Stüssy for the collection, which released in 2020 and quickly sold out. Get it here.
New Balance 650 x No Vacancy Inn
No Vacancy Inn and New Balance teamed up once again for this StockX exclusive drop in 2020, which saw just 400 pairs made. This New Balance 650, known also by its “Water & WiFi” moniker, draws inspiration from neutral earth tones. Keeping in tradition with the 650’s legacy, this sneaker features front lace closure along with a padded tongue and collar. As a continuation of NVI’s theme of “Water & Wi-Fi”, the shoe represents two necessities for everyday modern life: nature and technology.
Denim Tears x Levi’s Cotton Wreath Jean
No list of Emory essentials would be complete without his signature Levi’s denim cotton motif jean. Released in May of 2021, the denim jeans feature an all-over Denim Tears cotton wreath print pattern. The collaboration – which included the jeans in a light wash, dark wash, indigo, white, black denim, and black and red clay – proved so successful that it garnered Emory a two-year partnership deal with the iconic denim brand.
Stüssy x Denim Tears X Our Legacy TTL Varsity Jacket
One of the coolest Tremaine pieces ever created, this sleek varsity jacket, made of Welton wool and leather sleeves, is part of a three-way collab between Stüssy, Our Legacy, and Denim Tears. Featuring logo patches and emblems from each of the respective labels, it’s one of Emory’s most sought-after pieces from his capsule collections.
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star 70 Hi Denim Tears Black
No wardrobe is truly complete without a Chuck Taylor sneaker. As we mentioned earlier, Emory teamed up with Converse for the All-Star 70, and it’s a shoe you’ll want to cop. The Hi version features a green tongue interspersed with the iconic Converse black stars, with the rest of the sneaker adorned with an African-American flag graphic. A bold design and statement? That’s a win win.
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star 70 Ox Denim Tears Black
Not feeling a high top? The Ox is the low version of this sneaker, with the same design as the 70.
