Denim Tears’ Tremaine Emory is adding to his collection of titles as the new creative director of streetwear label Supreme. Emory, who serves as the creative director for his own brand Denim Tears and co-founder of creative incubator No Vacancy Inn, will work closely with the Supreme design team and founder James Jebbia while continuing his other ventures.
Emory is the first creative director to lead Supreme since the streetwear brand was acquired by VF Corporation in a $2.1 billion deal in late 2020. VF said during the time of the acquisition that the brand was projected to bring in $1 billion annually once it fully fleshes out its international and direct-to-consumer presence.
After beginning his career at Marc Jacobs, Emory traversed industries and provided consultancy services for large corporations, hotels and independent brands. Since then, the Ugg collaborator released podcasts, worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and forged friendships with A-listers including Ye and the late Virgil Abloh.
His Denim Tears line, which tells the story of American cotton and denim’s foundation in slavery, led to a two-year deal with Levi’s. In 2020, the dup collaborated on a four-piece capsule collection featuring a vintage denim Trucker jacket and jeans updated with an all-over screen print of white cotton wreaths, a “plantation hat” and digitally printed T-shirts.
The appointment of Emory is a strategic move for Supreme, which in recent years has emphasized its focus on denim. In September, the brand partnered with ’00s denim brand True Religion to bring the Y2K era back to the forefront with baggy denim cargo jeans and jean jackets. Several months later, it collaborated with Japanese designer Junya Watanabe on a range of utility-inspired pieces like a denim parka and jeans made from Gore-Tex denim, a breathable, waterproof fabric membrane developed by U.S. manufacturing company W.L. Gore & Associates.
Though Emory has yet to officially comment on the new role, the creative took to Instagram stories in the days that followed to share messages from friends and media congratulating his appointment.
