RealStyle | Supreme Gift Guide
RealStyle | Supreme Gift Guide

How to Use Supreme-mania to Check off Your Gift List

Words by Jody Hume | 12.17.18
Over the years, streetwear giant Supreme has transcended the niche market it once served. With its high-profile collaborations, instantly recognizable box logo, easy staple pieces and unusual assortment of products, it’s become something of a household name. While some may still not understand the allure, others are constantly hitting refresh on Thursday mornings, hoping to score something from the latest release.
Limited runs and high demand restrict many from nabbing pieces right off the bat, but luckily Supreme resurfaces in the resale market. And for anyone looking to unwrap a little red and white this year, there’s plenty of Supreme to go around. Our Streetwear & Fashion Valuation Manager, Sean Conway, has been in the game for awhile and knows his way around a Supreme drop. Keep reading for the rundown on the most coveted Supreme pieces to gift this year (or keep for yourself… we’re not judging).
For The Box Logo-Loving Pop Culture Fanatic

RealStyle | Supreme Gift Guide

Supreme Hysteric Glamour MugSupreme Kate Moss Photo T-Shirt; Supreme 2018 Reflective Text Stripe Camp Cap

She’s well-versed in art history, is fascinated by fashion icons and spends her evenings binge-watching the latest Netflix series — when she isn’t camping out for the next Supreme drop, that is. For the box logo lover whose collection isn’t quite complete, gifting a recently released Fall/Winter 2018 reflective camp cap should do the trick. “It has two major staples that any Supreme collector can appreciate,” says Conway. “It’s white, and features a red box logo. The contrast almost always results in sold out items, so grab this hat before the resale price rises even higher.”
Satisfy her nostalgia fix with a typographic mug à la Hysteric Glamour, the Japanese label founded in 1984 by Nobuhiko Kitamura. The brand’s anti-establishment bent and penchant for mixing high and low culture with an Americana aesthetic has garnered it a cult following in the streetwear world. A Supreme T-shirt featuring the inimitable Kate Moss is also a good choice if she enjoys keeping an eye on the resale market. “If you were in Los Angeles or NYC in 2012, when the shirt was released, you probably saw the unmistakable image of Supreme-wearing Kate Moss smoking a cigarette tiled on almost every street corner,” explains Conway. “The value of this piece never seems to go down, so it’s definitely a safe investment.”
For The Sneakerhead Who’s Perfecting The Art Of Dad Style

RealStyle | Supreme Gift Guide

Supreme PCL Floral Bucket Hat; Supreme 2018 Logo Zippo Lighter; Supreme x Nike 2018 Zoom Streak Spectrum Sneakers

He wears windbreakers, Hawaiian shirts, worn-in Levis and his favorite pair of kicks no matter the occasion, and at this point you’re not sure whether it’s ironic or not. This year, gift him a piece that will pull together any Dad look — a Supreme bucket hat. “Supreme worked with artist Peter Saville for their Spring/Summer 2013 collaboration,” says Conway, “and repurposed his artwork for New Order’s 1980 album Power, Corruption, Lies. At a time when florals were everywhere, Supreme was able to simultaneously throw in a deeper meaning to the trend and put the youth on to new music. It’s a great piece to add to the archives that has substance.”
If he wants a piece of Supreme history, this year’s Zippo lighter is a tried-and-true favorite. “This was the first all-red Zippo logo lighter released since the two companies started collaborating back in 2008,” explains Conway. But the ultimate sneakerhead gift is indisputably the American hot rod-inspired Zoom Streak Spectrum Sneakers. “The original model was designed in 2003 by Steven Smith, who designed many running shoes for Nike Japan,” notes Conway. Supreme reimagined the design for a spring drop earlier this year. If the sleek flames and patent leather habanero red swoosh aren’t enough of a draw, the performance-focused Zoom Air cushioning make them so comfortable, he’ll never want to take them off.
For The Globetrotting Collector Who Always Overpacks

RealStyle | Supreme Gift Guide

Supreme 2017 Box Logo Waist Bag, Rimowa x Supreme 2018 Topas Multiwheel 45L; Louis Vuitton x Supreme 2017 Epi Keepall Bandoulière 55

She has an eye for the exquisite and takes as many business trips as she does antiquing vacations, but wherever she goes, she’s prepared for any outcome. Translation: her bags are bursting with wardrobe changes yet somehow fit the vintage treasures she inevitably picks up. For the woman who always needs an extra hand, gift her a durable Supreme waist bag she can effortlessly bring on the plane. “Each season, Supreme launches a coveted collection of bags with innovative fabric company Cordura,” says Conway. “It’s bold, practical and one of Supreme’s core silhouettes.”
If she’s looking for a luxe luggage upgrade, look no further than the Rimowa x Supreme suitcase. Rimowa‘s classic Topas Multiwheel suitcase underwent a transformation for Supreme’s Spring/Summer 2018 drop, resulting in one of the most hyped luggage collections of all time.
And what better way to complement it than with a Louis Vuitton x Supreme Epi Keepall? “This is the collaboration that really began to blur the lines between streetwear and luxury,” explains Conway. “When Supreme and Louis Vuitton came together to design a collection for Fall/Winter 2017, it changed the game. It proved the hypothesis that luxury brands needed to connect with millennials and Gen Z, and may have directly led to the hiring of LV’s menswear designer, Virgil Abloh.” The history-making backstory and subtle colorway, married with Louis Vuitton’s masterful craftsmanship, makes it a special piece she’ll cherish (and actually use).
For The Hype Investor Obsessed With Home Curation

RealStyle | Supreme Gift Guide

Supreme 2018 Alphabet Vase; Supreme 2018 Set of 4 Stacking Cups; Supreme x Richard Prince Skull Bunny Skateboard Deck

He’s pickier about the decor in his apartment than the food he puts into his body, and is one boys’ night away from covering his vintage Eames lounge chair in plastic. He’s also a coffee connoisseur, so of course Supreme’s stackable cup set is the perfect gift of functionality and form. “Supreme’s bold branding is of course one of its trademarks,” notes Conway, “and the Spring/Summer 2018 collection featured a bunch of notable home pieces, including these cups. Individually, each cup only displays a portion of the brand name, but when stacked properly, the logo comes together.” He may never actually offer you a cup of joe in favor of keeping the logo intact, but perhaps that’s a compliment in and of itself.
If he’s into hype pieces with a story, Supreme’s Alphabet vase will no doubt pique his interest. The vase, with its Art Deco-inspired lettering, bore too close a resemblance to the work of Erté, and allegedly received a cease-and-desist letter from the artist’s estate. “Supreme canceled a few of the items from their Alphabet release after receiving the letter, so interest in collecting the existing pieces has skyrocketed,” notes Conway. “It’s the gift that keeps on giving, since its resale value will continue to rise.”
Give him the perfect focal piece for his living room — or his next mode of transportation — with a Supreme x Richard Prince skate deck. “Supreme commissioned American painter and photographer Richard Prince to create two skate decks in 2007,” explains Conway. The ‘Skull Bunny’ deck features an illustration of a skull metamorphosed into the Playboy Bunny, speaking to the emblematic playfulness of Prince’s work.” The set sold out almost instantly when it was first released, and these decks mostly remain in the hands of Richard Prince fans who originally purchased them. “If you see one pop up for a good price, jump on it,” advises Conway.
Shop our best giftable Supreme finds now.

All items are pre-owned and consigned to The RealReal. Trademarks are owned by their respective brand owners. No brand owner endorses or sponsors this ad or has any association and/or affiliation with The RealReal.

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