Tremaine Emory Shares More About His Exit From Supreme on Instagram
Alleging “systematic racism” in a resignation letter seen by ‘BoF.’
Update: Tremaine Emory has taken to Instagram to speak further on his resignation from Supreme.
The Denim Tears founder shared several posts including an image of the book White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo’s, saying in the caption that he recommended the staff read the book “for a better understanding of what systemic racism is and how is affects people of all color’s who live in this white male patriarchal system that was built to only benefit white heterosexual males since the inception of America and even further back into European colonialism.”
Emory shared screenshots of DMs that displayed his efforts to align with Supreme on a joint statement about his departure that was tied to a collaboration with artist Arthur Jafa. Additionally, he posted screenshots of text messages with James Jebbia tied to a conversation about canceling the images from the Jafa collaboration due to the “depiction of black men being hung and the freed slave Gordon pictured with his whip lashes on his back.” See more here below.
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Following rumored reports that Tremaine Emory has stepped away from streetwear giant Supreme, the news has now been confirmed by Business of Fashion. Emory exits the brand after a year and a half as its creative director over allegations that “systematic racism was at play within the structure of Supreme,” in a letter seen by the publication. A Supreme representative confirmed Emory’s departure.
Emory was Supreme’s first-ever creative director. The appointment was a major move after Supreme was acquired by North Face-owner VF Corp back in 2020. According to the resignation letter seen by BoF, Emory’s decision to leave was due to senior management’s “inability to communicate” with him why the “cancellation” of a collaboration with major Black American artist Arthur Jafa occurred. Emory also claims that they were unable to give him “full visibility for the reasons behind it.” He added, “This caused me a great amount of distress as well as the belief that systematic racism was at play within the structure of Supreme.” In response to this claim, Supreme said that the collaboration has not been canceled, though it has yet to be released.
In an official statement shared to BoF from Supreme, the company responds, “While we take these concerns seriously, we strongly disagree with Tremaine’s characterisation of our company and the handling of the Arthur Jafa project, which has not been cancelled. This was the first time in 30 years where the company brought in a creative director. We are disappointed it did not work out with Tremaine and wish him the best of luck going forward.”
The streetwear polymath and Denim Tears founder’s departure comes at a time when Supreme sales have been declining. By March 2023, the brand generated revenues of $523.1 million USD in the year, down from $561.5 million USD the year before. Supreme was founded in 1994 and started in a single store in New York. It has now expanded to physical outposts in Milan, Berlin, Paris, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Seoul. Emory has yet to make an official statement about his departure from Supreme.
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