Going Green

Supreme's fascination with Kermit the Frog.

For a time, Supreme was known for their wheatpaste poster campaigns featuring a variety of celebrities. Often shot by photographer Terry Richardson, the Yashica-produced images put the brand in an elevated light, juxtaposing the intentionality of fashion photography with the grittiness of streetwear, especially when viewed in the context of neighborhoods like SoHo and the Lower East Side. Some of the more famous ones include 2006’s images featuring Jim Jones and Juelz Santana, where they were paid $14,000 to appear on that season’s poster and photo tee.

Looking back on the shoot 12 years later, Jones went off on an Instagram post covered by GQ that the company owes them for their contribution to the brand’s continued success: “They owe us piece of th [sic] company,” said Jones in an Instagram post. “Rappers n my black people had no idea wht Supreme was…they new who dipset was lol.”

In a more full circle moment in 2012, they featured model Kate Moss on a poster and tee that still demand high resale value. It was a knowing throwback to the early days of the label when they would slap box logo stickers on top of Moss’ memorable black-and-white Calvin Klein campaigns. But in 2008, Supreme made waves when the featured cultural icon was someone who wasn’t even human: Kermit the Frog.

In addition to the poster and photo tee, the brand also released a series of collaborative skateboard decks featuring the recognizable Muppet. Among the most curious novelty items was a Kermit the Frog Kubrick, an off-shoot of Medicom’s popular Be@rbrick line, except the figures still kept their LEGO-like proportions without being beholden to a bear-shaped canvas.

Ironically, this particular release seems to have been forgotten by Supreme’s founder James Jebbia, who made his disdain for the plastic collectible toys known in a story recounted by Jeff Staple to GQ UK.

“‘Man, those things are just fucking bullshit to me.’ He's like, ‘Me, Supreme, we'll never do a Bearbrick...” Jebbia purportedly said over a lunch meeting to Staple. “Those things that just sit on your desk? It doesn't do anything. It's not heavy enough to be a paperweight, it's not luxurious—it's cheap plastic.’”

Although Staple acknowledges the remarks were made in jest, it is technically true that Supreme has still never officially made a Be@rbrick. The last collaboration it had with Medicom was a Kubrick done in the image of cult comic book character The Crow.

Since then, Supreme and The Muppets haven’t really done anything else…there was a moment in 2019 when the brand used the Muppet Animal to promote the release of its collaborative Pearl drum set. But the latest Spring/Summer 2024 collection revealed the return of the collab once again.

Arguably the most talked about item is the GORE-TEX jacket featuring Kermit the Frog, while the all-over print Muppets fleece is sure to be a fast seller. It’s certainly not for everybody, and the novelty of wearing a Muppet on your chest (or back) may fade once the hype subsides, but it’s a nice throwback to a time when streetwear felt more surprising and less expected.