Blank pixel used during image takedowns
Each year, brands and designers drop several collections, collaborations, and special releases. And each year, there are a few that stand out and grab everyone’s attention. Hype can be brought on by the brand’s own popularity; other times it’s a co-sign from an A-list celebrity. Regardless of how it happens, the most in-demand pieces often sell out almost instantly, cause long lines (even as brands and retailers implement new, stricter lineup systems), and show up on sites like eBay and Grailed—sometimes for triple the retail price.
We’re only halfway through 2017 and there have already been quite a few style releases that have dominated the conversation. Seriously—some recent drops have been so insane that news outlets like Huffington Post and ABC7 Eyewitness News, who wouldn’t normally cover these releases, were hyping them up.
From the usual suspects like Supreme and Kanye West to everything in between, these are the most hyped style drops of 2017 so far. And before you get mad, this list only includes apparel and accessories. We have separate lists coming for the best sneakers.
Bape x Anti Social Social Club Collaboration
Anti Social Social Club has quickly become one of the biggest brands in streetwear. Every drop sells out almost instantly. At the first annual ComplexCon last November, the brand, which collaborated with Undftd on hoodies and tees, had one of the longest lines all weekend.
So, when ASSC teased a collaboration with Bape, kids were basically salivating over the collection. It was small—hoodies, tees, and zip-ups with ASSC font and Bape’s iconic ABC Camo pattern, released in limited quantities at Bape’s New York location only. The exclusivity of the line, in addition to the popularity of both Bape and ASSC, definitely made this collab one of the most hyped of the year so far. In fact, some of the pieces are currently being resold on eBay for up to $1,600.
Supreme x Louis Vuitton Collaboration
In 2000, Louis Vuitton hit Supreme with a cease-and-desist after the brand attempted to release skate decks with a graphic similar to LV’s signature monogram. It came as a surprise, then, that nearly two decades later, the fashion house—led by men’s artistic director Kim Jones—is collaborating with Supreme, even if Jones is a noted fan of streetwear.
The Supreme x LV collection was first teased in early January, when Jones posted (then quickly deleted) an Instagram featuring a sticker mash-up of the two brands. A few weeks later, Louis Vuitton confirmed the collaboration during its Fall/Winter 2017 fashion show in Paris by sending models down the runway wearing pieces from the line. Since then, Travis Scott, Kate Moss, ASAP Bari, David Beckham, and more have been seen rocking the yet-to-be-released items.
Perhaps what’s most interesting about this collaboration is what it represents: High-fashion is finally openly acknowledging streetwear. Jones put it best: “No New York men’s conversation is complete without Supreme.”
The Supreme x Louis Vuitton collaboration won’t be cheap: $65,000 LV monogram trunks, $485 box logo T-shirts, and $435 camp caps to name a few. But that likely won’t stop people from buying their favorite pieces when the line drops this coming July. Even the city of New York seems to understand the hype around the collaboration. Last month, a Manhattan community board denied a proposal to have a Louis Vuitton x Supreme pop-up shop to be held at 25 Bond St. in the NoHo neighborhood.
Needles Track Pants
Needles, the Japanese label founded by designer Keizo Shimizu, has been making their now famous track pants with the butterfly embroidery for a few seasons. But it wasn’t until a few months ago that stylish kids everywhere began catching on. With the sportswear trend and heavy co-signs from ASAP Rocky, ASAP Bari, Luka Sabbat, and the No Vacancy Inn guys, Needles hasn’t been able to keep the track pants in stock at Nepenthes, the store Shimizu opened, and other stores.
Supreme MetroCard
Supreme has had a long history of releasing novelty pieces, including punching bags, bricks, and even nunchucks. The brand’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection was no different. This past February, the brand released Supreme-branded MetroCards. Retailing for only $5.50, the limited edition MetroCards were sold at Supreme’s store, online, and MTA vending machines at select subway stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. The demand for the cards was huge—so big, in fact, that the lines inside the subway stations looked like queues outside of a Supreme store during a Thursday drop. Now, they’re being resold on sites like eBay and Grailed for up to $70. Cops even had to shut down the line that formed at the Union Square Station because it got too hectic. The MTA has collaborated with other brands before, including Calvin Klein, but none garnered as much attention as this.
Kanye West's Calabasas Collection
At this point, anything Kanye West releases is bound to attract tons of attention. Prior to the release of his Calabasas collection, West was often seen wearing the maroon track pants from the line. But back then, he and Adidas had not confirmed whether or not it was a custom piece, or if it would eventually be for sale. Later, many thought the pants were only for “friends and family” when some received them as invitations for the rapper’s Yeezy Season 4 fashion show.
But this past March, the Calabasas collection was finally made available to the public via the YeezySupply.com website. No surprise: It sold out within minutes. The line—track pants, crewneck sweaters, hats—retailed for $25–$200, much less than previous Yeezy Season releases, which likely contributed to the success of the collection.
VLONE Releases
ASAP Bari has turned VLONE into a huge success. The brand’s signature black and orange motif has been seen on everyone from fellow ASAP Mob members Rocky and Ferg to Odell Beckham Jr. and 2 Chainz. While Bari doesn’t follow a calendar—he seems to release product whenever he feels like it, and via VLONE pop-up shops—he was able to dominate the conversation when he did drop new pieces. This year, he opened several VLONE pop-ups, and the lines were insane. Now, pieces are being resold on Grailed for nearly double the retail price.
The brand’s success has led to collaborations with Nike on a pair of Air Force 1s, which resold on eBay for more than $90,000, and Tupac’s estate on merch. Later this month, Bari is also set to present his first ever cut-and-sew collection during Paris Men’s Fashion Week.
Palace Spring/Summer 2017 Collection
Although Palace was founded in 2009, the London skate brand has become even more popular Stateside. In fact, like most of its drops, they couldn’t keep the Spring/Summer 2017 collection in stores. If you’ve ever checked Palace’s online shop on the day of any release, chances are that more than half of the collection already sold out in minutes.
Some of the best-sellers from the Spring/Summer 2017 collection included their graphic T-shirts inspired by Prince and the cult classic film The Breakfast Club, as well as the “tri-ferg” logo hoodies and track jackets.
Luckily, Palace has opened their first U.S. shop in New York. The bad news? There are still lines outside the store, so it may not actually mean it’ll be easier to get your hands on a piece.
KAWS x Uniqlo x Peanuts Plush Toy
Along with his limited Air Jordan collaboration, KAWS also linked up with the Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo to release a collection inspired by the Peanuts cartoons. The affordable T-shirts ($15) sold well, but the item most people were after was the Snoopy plush toy, which featured KAWS’ signature Xs on the eyes. KAWS toys have always been seen as collectibles. Uniqlo briefly restocked the plush toys but only at select stores in Japan and Hong Kong.