Tyshawn Jones Slaps Supreme With $26 Million USD Defamation Lawsuit

Summary

• Pro-skater Tyshawn Jones has filed a lawsuit against the streetwear brand Supreme for $26 million USD
• The complaint alleges sees Jones claim that his multi-year contract was terminated due to “pretext for cost-cutting”
• Jones claims that Supreme is responsible for “destroying” his young career, effectively blacklisting him from other brands or projects

Tyshawn Jones is taking Supreme to court. According to court documents of the case, the 26-year-old pro skateboarder slaps the streetwear imprint with a multi-million dollar lawsuit, alleging defamation and breach of contract.

In the complaint, which was filed on Monday, May 12 in Manhattan Supreme Court, Jones seeks damages of $25 million USD in addition to the $1.25 million USD he states has remained unpaid from his original contract with the brand. The 41-page lawsuit sees Jones allege that following his collaboration with Supreme for 13 years since he was age 11, the brand severed ties with him just last September. Coincidentally, it occurred just before Supreme was sold to the eyewear parent company Luxottica. Supreme claims that due to Jones’ outfit choice of wearing Marc Jacobs in a photoshoot in August 2024, the pro-skater breached the contract even though Jones has previously modelled for other major brands like Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and Tiffany & Co. from 2022. Jones states that he was “transparent and open” with his other brand campaigns and alleges that Supreme executives “did not express any objections.”

The filing sees Jones claim that his termination was a “pretext for cost-cutting,” accusing Supreme of falsely telling “multiple third parties” that Jones was “kicked off” the brand for breach of contract. The complaint reads, “Doubling down on their bad faith and willful breach Supreme, through several statements both impermissible and false, has widely disparaged Tyshawn as a liability, a risk — someone no brand would want to affiliate or work with.” Jones claims that Supreme is responsible for “destroying” his young career, effectively blacklisting him from other brands or projects. The suit also states that, “The name ‘Tyshawn’ and ‘Supreme’ go hand-in-hand, akin to the relationship shared by Nike and Michael ‘Air’ Jordan.” In a quote to the New York Post Jones said, “I am saddened it has come to this, but I have a duty to myself and my career, and feel a responsibility to the next generation of skateboarders to stand up for what is right.” He added, “Supreme’s success has been shaped in large part by the contributions of young talent, and I believe those contributions deserve to be respected.”