The Rise and return of fubu

By Zuza Gaboush

If you’ve watched the popular television show, Shark Tank, chances are that you’ve seen the founder behind the legendary and influential clothing brand, FUBU. Daymond John, along with business partners Carlton E Brown, J. Alexander Martin and Keith C Perrin are credited as the hustlers and creative minds behind FUBU. This brand, reaching its peak popularity in 1998 was adorned by the likes of LL Cool J, Jay Z, Ludacris, Will Smith and many other hip hop A-List celebrities. FUBU was one of the hottest brands out during the 90’s, and has received many accolades throughout the years. How did FUBU achieve such global success? What was the secret behind the humble beginnings of this streetwear brand’s quick rise to domination in pop culture?

Daymond John began his journey in the fashion industry by selling handmade beanies and t-shirts in Queens, New York. In need of a means to support himself, John turned to fashion. Starting off by selling homemade tees for the Rodney King protests and the incarceration of Mike Tyson, John quickly realized the monetary potential in fashion. These days of selling shirts on street corners and gaining support from his local community would later serve as the inspiration behind the brand name FUBU- For Us, By Us.

Deciding to formalize his side hustle, John joined up with the rest of the FUBU entrepreneurial team, and in 1992, the four friends began to formally produce clothing. By the mid 1990s, Macy’s had picked up the brand and constructed an interactive window in their 34th street store, featuring the four founders of FUBU. Growing and gaining acclaim for their pieces, FUBU began to sell more clothes than they had available in their inventory. Desperate to enlarge the production aspect of FUBU, John applied for loans from 27 different banks, and was denied by all of them. Refusing to take rejection for an answer, John convinced his mother to take out a second mortgage on her house, moved in and transformed every floor into a makeshift FUBU factory. Every room was dedicated to a different part of the creation process, and by 1992, the team was producing and selling over $300M of clothing a year.

Unfortunately, FUBU suffered from an oversaturation in the market, and starting in 2001, the brand’s decline began, and was eventually pulled from the market completely by 2003. However the brand made a comeback in 2009, resurfacing and remaining relevant due to the cultural impact it maintains, and has since signed partnerships with the likes of PUMA, 21st Century Fox, Pyer Moss, Urban Outfitters and more. The rise, fall and return of this immensely influential and popular brand attests to the ingenious and determined entrepreneurship of its creators, which has allowed FUBU to remain a household name till today.

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