5 best Stussy collabs of all time 

5 best Stussy collabs of all time (Image via Sportskeeda)
5 best Stussy collabs of all time (Image via Sportskeeda)

With over 40 years of experience in streetwear and surfwear imprints, Stussy has had its glorious moments, most of them coming from the biggest collaborations, which were set to redefine the decade-long fashion game.

The brand has been one of the largest streetwear brands for a long time and has thus gained respect from other labels, artists, musicians, and even skateboarders.

The brand was born from the surf scene of Southern California and swept through the ideology of casualwear and streetwear while redefining the ideology of the clothing landscape. The label grew through numbering and became one of the most pop-culture-relevant brands.

With the label's success, the brand has grown its domination in clothing and footwear lines.

"The brand was committed to producing relevant, good quality clothing at a reasonable price available only at very select stores worldwide in limited quantities. This was an entirely new concept at the time, which has since been used to varying degrees of success," reads the Stussy site.

The LA-born brand recently linked up with Nike for Air Force 1 Mid, its long-time, and most sought-after collaborator.

To commemorate the latest launch with Nike, we will take a journey with brand enthusiasts down the road to Stussy's best collaborations throughout the years, including brands like BAPE, Union, Vans, Supreme, Nike, and more.


Top five Stussy collaborations in history

1) Stussy x Nike SB Dunk Low Cherry

When we list Stussy's top five collaborations, most people would agree that Nike is number one on the list. The brand gained immense popularity with the Nike SB Dunk Low Cherry colorway launch, which happened back in 2005, thus making it number one.

The iconic sportswear label Nike collaborated with Stussy back in 2005 for a reiteration of the SB Dunk Low silhouette in a cherry makeover. The colorway was inspired by the Neopolitan Ice Cream cone and was designed by Robbie Jeffers.

Taken over by Shy Pink / Vanilla colors, the upper is constructed in leather, which gives a strawberry and soft chocolate aesthetic. At the same time, the swoosh is dressed in a creamy vanilla aesthetic shade.

The accented panels, heels, and lace eyelet panels are covered in dark brown colorways, whereas the toe boxes and side panels are donned in the shy pink colorway.

Lastly, the tongue labels are dressed in an off-white hue. The tongue is overstuffed and features a cherry graphic and "NIKE SB" lettering. The shoe sits atop a waffle cone insole and outsole.

The Cherry Sneaker was released on July 1, 2005, part of the Team Manager series for a retail price of $150. This wasn't the first time the dynamic duo collaborated. The two also partnered for a high-top version of SB Dunk in 2001.


2) Stussy x Bape Ill collaboration

For fall-winter 2013, the Japanese streetwear brand founded by Nigo collaborated with Stussy to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their label, Bape. The collection, dubbed the Ill collaboration, was a follow-up to the duo's previous 2010 collection.

However, this collaboration was special due to their extensive launch of apparel and accessories. Whereas, for 2010, the brand partnered for a G-shock watch and a tee.

"Stüssy and Bape® present “Ill Collaboration”, which included a large range of apparel and accessories in celebration of A Bathing Ape® and their 20th anniversary. This partnership between the two brands follows the first capsule collection released in 2010."
"'Ill Collaboration' draws inspiration from vintage desert camouflage patterns creating a 90’s military vibe with classic iconography from both Stüssy and Bape®," reads the collaboration introduction."

The two labels collaborated for a full capsule collection that included accessories and apparel pieces. Iconic graphics such as the Bape Head logo, Bape Shark design, and the iconic World Tour script were seen across the collection.

Exuberating retro vibes and feels of the 2000's decade, the collection included a selection of varsity jackets, rain jackets, pants, denim, sunglasses, caps, tees, shark hoodies, and bandanas.

The collection campaign was directed by A$AP Bari and included familiar faces such as Ian Connor, A$AP TyY, and Fredo Santana. The collection was released online and in-store on September 21, 2003.


3) Stussy x Vault By Vans 2014 footwear collab

Stussy collaborated with Vault by Vans to release a summer spring 2014 collection celebrating their rich heritage. Stussy and Vans have been the vanguards of a unique style while keeping up with the California aesthetic.

"Since the early days of a burgeoning subculture at home in the Golden State – but destined to balloon into a worldwide phenomenon – Stüssy and Vans have been the vanguards of a unique, distinctly Southern Californian aesthetic."
"Carried across the globe through the decades, the two icons come together to present an eclectic capsule that harkens back to the early days of each brand," reads collaboration introduction."

The duo collaborated for a footwear line paired with Vans Original Classic silhouettes to pay homage to skate style. The line includes the Old Skool 36 LX silhouette, which features the iconic Tom Tom print, first drawn by Shawn Stussy in 1986.

The pattern is seen on both the medial and lateral sides of the skate shoe. The skate shoe further features neon green overlays over the soft suede base.

The 2014 Summer Spring collection by the duo also included Skool OG Era LX and Skool OG Sk8-Hi LX shoes. The OG Era LX shoe features the Bones print, which debuted in 1988. The Bones print was inspired by the 80's skate scene, which is seen in white and black over midfoot and toe ramps.

Lastly, the OG SK8-Hi LX shoe features the 8 Ball print seen upon the quarter panels. The shoe comes in both Black/White and Black/Black colorways.


4) Stussy x Nike SB x Lance Mountain

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Stussy once again collaborated with Nike in 2018, with skateboarder Lance Mountain showcasing the shoe. The collection introduced SB Blazer Mid shoes dressed in black and tan.

The shoes' upper is constructed of distressed suede, mostly covered in light tan, while the black appears on Nike Swooshes and laces in contrast. The signature script brands the shoe with the appearance over the tongue. A whole stencil set accompanied the boots.

The mid-cut silhouette was given 50 new makeovers, hand-painted and custom-made by Lance Mountain.

In an interview with the label, Lance commented upon the inspiration behind the shoe:

"I would take the best shoes and would customize the exterior. We would draw from things outside skateboarding as well- like seeing an album cover with a guy wearing Leopard pants, but since we had no accessibility to get it, we just tried to make clothes ourselves."

He added:

"The underground roots of skateboarding crossed over and drew from early punk, so some of our stuff was loud and offensive, but back then people didn’t care about skateboarding."

The pair were named Midwest Gold, and it featured hairy suede, which was joined by a leopard stencil. The iteration was created alongside Kevin Terpening. The shoe was released at Stussy on December 7, 2018, while Nike SNKRS saw a later release on December 10, 2018.


5) Stussy x Union 30th anniversary collection

Stussy was founded nine years before the Union. However, both have been equally respected in the streetwear area. The dynamic duo collaborated on an apparel capsule to commemorate the Union's 30th anniversary.

The collection launched a 16-piece apparel and accessories line, which was a nod to Union LA's heritage.

"Stüssy and Union have collaborated on a collection to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the genre-bending and boundary-pushing store that opened in New York City in 1989. A hub for all things cool, Union landed in Los Angeles in 1991, initially as a shared space with Stüssy known as "The Stüssy Union." La Brea hasn’t been the same since," reads the collaboration introduction.

The 16-piece capsule includes Paisley Oxford Tees, Corduroy Pants, Graphic Tees, Bucket Hats, zipper ponchos, and a doormat. Standout pieces from the collection have a paisley-patterned oxford shirt and the iconic "Frontman" logo emblazoned with a graphic T-shirt.

The two brands have simultaneously launched classics and essentials. The collection was launched on Friday, July 23, 2022, at 10 AM PST.

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Edited by Yasho Amonkar