FUBU

 

FUBU logo

FUBU is a clothing company. It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suit collection, eyewear, belts, and shoes. The name is a backronym for "For Us, By Us", indicating that the product line was produced by black Americans for a primarily black American market.

History

The company was founded in 1992 by Daymond John with a line of hats made in his house in Hollis, Queens. According to the company website, John mortgaged his own home for $100,000 and with that seed money he and his three friends Carl Brown, J. Alexander Martin, and Keith Perrin, turned half of his house into a factory and the other half into living space.

FUBU staff started the company for their local youth community. The founders intended to compete with sportswear companies such as Nike, Inc., which use inner-city youth in New York and elsewhere to research what is cool then make products from the feedback. FUBU felt that Nike was profiting from the authenticity of New York street fashion without giving enough back to the community, and that to this extent black American culture was being exploited. In targeting city youth and defining their competitors this way, FUBU has stirred controversy as to whether the company intended to shut out non-blacks, although some people of other backgrounds wear their clothing. FUBU insists they are not intentionally exclusive, and their marketing targets all people.

Collection

The FUBU collection consists of T-shirts, rugby shirts, hockey and football jerseys, baseball caps, shoes, perfume and denim jeans. All are embroidered with the FUBU logo. Most of the products, such as the jeans, are imported from around the world. FUBU has now expanded to include various lines such as Platinum FUBU, FUBU footwear for men and women, intimate apparel, active wear, swimwear, watches, FUBU suits, and FUBU tuxedos. The Platinum FUBU collection also includes the Fat Albert and Harlem Globetrotters clothing lines.

In 1995, South Korean company Samsung invested in the New York based clothing company.

At its peak, FUBU grossed over $350 million dollars in annual worldwide sales. FUBU have received several honors for their entrepreneurial achievements. These include two Congressional Awards, two NAACP Awards, the Pratt Institute Award, the Christopher Wallace Award, the Online Hip-Hop Award and a Citation of Honor from the Queens Borough President.

FUBU's popularity has steeply declined in the United States in recent years, but remains a competitive brand on the international market.