Though Undefeated is now one of the most recognized streetwear brands in the world, it started from humble beginnings. Sneaker culture might be a global phenomenon today, but in the early ‘00s, it was still an incredibly niche, underground movement. James Bond and Eddie Cruz had the idea to open a sneaker boutique in Los Angeles geared towards collectors of rare and unique sneakers, working with artists and like-minded individuals to create customized shoes and collaborative editions. Their early work had a huge influence on the evolution of sneaker culture in the years that followed. As you might expect, Undefeated have played a pivotal role in every sneaker trend that’s passed over the past 15 years. They created several collaborative Nike SB Dunk silhouettes during the Dunk hype, have collaborated with adidas’ top-tier Consortium project on multiple occasions, and their military-inspired Air Jordan 4 collaborative model is one of the most coveted special-edition sneakers of all time; in 2016, a pair sold for over $18,000. Undefeated have not limited their collaborations to the usual sneaker brands, however; throughout their history they have worked with New Balance, Converse, Pro-Keds, Timberland, and have even created their own take on luxury Japanese streetwear brand Visvim’s iconic FBT silhouette. True to their retail roots, the brand continues to operate sneaker stores in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, as well as operating several stores in Japan. A few years into their success, Undefeated expanded into streetwear, creating their own in-house brand. Known for their familiar “tally mark” logo, symbolizing a series of defeated opponents, Undefeated (or UNDFTD as it has also come to be known) specializes in classic streetwear pieces such as caps, t-shirts, sweats and so on. They have also collaborated with numerous streetwear brands such as Champion, Bape and Patta. True to their retail roots, Undefeated continues to operate sneaker stores in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, as well as operating several stores in Japan.