Even if you're not familiar with the name Shepard Fairey, you most likely are familiar with his art. While studying at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1989, he created an absurd sticker featuring Andre the Giant, the famous 520-pound wrestler, and plastered it all over the East Coast. Since then, it has developed into a worldwide street art campaign, and propelled Fairey into counter-cultural stardom and made him one of the biggest street artists and illustrators of his generation.
In 1994, Fairey was forced to create a redesigned version of his Andre the Giant sticker due to a trademark lawsuit threat. That's when he developed the wrestler's face into the now iconic logo, accompanied by the OBEY slogan which was taken from John Carpenter's cult movie 'They Live'.
The OBEY meaning is rooted in the do-it-yourself counterculture of punk rock and skateboarding, but it has also taken cues from pop culture, commercial marketing, and political messaging.
In 2001, OBEY Clothing was formed as an extension of Fairey's range of work. Aligned with his populist views, clothing became another canvas to spread his art and message to the people. The apparel mostly fuses classic military looks and workwear basics with a politically provocative philosophy. The brand is instantly recognizable due to its titular logo and slogan which is featured throughout the collections as well as across collaborations with brands and artists Robe as HUF, Levi's, Keith Haring and more.
After the brand boomed in the 2010s and the logo was seen everywhere, Obey Clothing got through a kind of a makeover over the last couple of years. The collections now are less logo-heavy and feature more subtle, fashionable pieces.
We're glad to welcome OBEY Clothing to our roster of brands. Selected pieces from their Spring '23 collection are available now at Allike.
