You can practically set your watch by Supreme's seasonal rollout. First, a social media teaser. Next, the lookbook and product photos, occasionally anchored by a headline-worthy stunt. Now it's time for the final event before the drop: an editorial shot for a Japanese magazine that highlights some of the season's best bits.
Fall/Winter 2021 did just that, hitting every note in the familiar song and dance, culminating in a selection of shots for THEM Magazine, a quarterly Japanese publication founded in 2014 by creative agency Righters.
If it isn't THEM or GRIND, Supreme will often team up with Popeye to drop its latest looks — can't say why the partners fluctuate but it does speak to the Japanese connection that tethers Supreme's international operation.
As for the actual editorial, it's standard fare; in fact, the shots are similar enough to Supreme's lookbook as to be nearly indistinguishable. The spotlighted pieces are thus far more intriguing than the actual imagery itself. We've all seen the lookbook and the product lineup, so no real surprises here, but the apparel picked to represent the collection makes for worthy exploration.
There's a Skittles cycling jersey, for instance, co-created with Castelli — biker style is nothing new for streetwear — or Supreme, even — but it's really having a moment right now.
You've got your requisite Yankees collab realized by way of a red parka with no less than 10 thematic patches, including a giant logo on the rear. If that jacket, the leopard pants, and the metallic purple hooded bomber haven't singed your eyes, look closer: there are some appreciably understated standouts to be had, as well.
besides the Bogo-laden overalls, there's another round of Sup's ever-popular GORE-TEX trousers and a faux fur jacket but the clear winner is a zippered denim jacket graced by the cover of John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, a signature Supreme reference that tops all the rest for two reasons: it's a great record and damn good pun.
