8. Appendix
8.2 Code Scheme
Selective Code Axial Code Sample Quote
Brand Perception Price “… it’s expensive, unique, and especially people that know about it will cheer you for the purchase
(Interviewee 1).”
“Trendy, expensive, trendy more than expensive, cool, hyped (Interviewee 3).”
“So I would say in a sense of price it’s high end (Interviewee 6).”
“… because it can be very expensive (Interviewee 6).”
Quality “People don’t buy Supreme
because of their quality, but because people want to be a part of a cultural
belonging community (Interviewee 3).”
“And I felt the quality. And the quality was not that good (Interviewee 6).”
“Their quality is not really top notch (Interviewee 6).”
“I wouldn’t say everything is that high of quality…(N1)”
Coolness “I feel cool, because not so many people know what you are wearing
(Interviewee 1).”
“I think it is really cool (Interviewee 3).”
“… cool because if I see someone wearing a
Supreme t-shirt, most likely I think he’s cool
(Interviewee 3).”
“They don’t have brand ambassadors but cool people are wearing it (Interviewee 3).”
“Trendy, expensive, trendy more than expensive, cool, hyped (Interviewee 3).”
“Supreme is cool, so you feel cool as well
“I think, it still inhibits values that it is seen as very cool (Interviewee 5).”
“… these streetwear
preserve their coolness the mass will follow
(Interviewee 8).”
“it is so easy for everyone to feel so cool as rapper and famous people (Interviewee 8).”
“Has become a standard to contemporary cool (N2).”
Popularity “Suddenly it became
extremely hyped due to social media (Interviewee 1).”
“With hype I mean that brands are present on social media, everywhere (Interviewee 1).”
“Trendy, expensive, trendy more than expensive, cool, hyped (Interviewee 3).”
“They’re just very popular (Interviewee 4).”
“Love Supreme (N3)”
“Everything is fire as usual (N4)”
“Supreme has been the most desired clothing brand for anyone involved in streetwear (N5).”
Trendsetting “… they don’t follow trends, they are the trends
(Interviewee 1).”
“They understand how trends are changing.
Everyone needs to share on social networks what are they doing, they wanna be present, as similar to
influencers (Interviewee 1).”
“Trendy, expensive, trendy more than expensive, cool, hyped (Interviewee 3).”
“Trendsetting. Massive influence on basically
Inspirational (Interviewee 8).”
“…Supreme, hate it or like it, they are very much themselves. And I think people appreciate that about them. That it’s not inspired by anything else (Interviewee 8).”
Prestige “..but for sure to all my friends especially the ones that I know have an interest in the brand. I would define the brand prestigious in this sense (Interviewee 3).”
“When you get it, it’s kind of a good feeling. A dopamine kick. I just feel, that there’s this prestige related feeling (Interviewee 7).”
Uniqueness “… it’s expensive, unique, and especially people that know about it will cheer you for the purchase
(Interviewee 1).”
“You feel super cool if
Supreme right now (Interviewee 1).”
“Limited production means that you will feel special because no one in your network will have the same items (Interviewee 3).”
Proudness “Still it is expensive, so they feel proud to wear
something non accessible, outcome of an effort
(Interviewee 4).”
“I feel, when I wear it, proud to wear it (Interviewee 5).”
“When I found this box logo shirt online, I was really really proud of myself. That I was able to find this hidden treasure and was able to afford it. It feels good buying it. Definitely (Interviewee 5).”
“People get a feeling of proudness when wearing it.
People want to show this off, because they know that
it is hard to get (Interviewee 7).”
Brand Ecosystem Community “If I refer to the group, people share a feeling to be perceived as cool
(Interviewee 1).”
”In general I would say the share the necessity to being unique, show off, part of a secret community of people that know something about the brand and they pay a lot because they are going to be accepted by this group (Interviewee 1).”
“You feel good because of social media influence, possibility to share it with your peers. You are “in the group” if you buy and you must share it (Interviewee 2).”
“People don’t buy Supreme because of their quality, but because people want to be a part of a cultural
belonging community
“Customers need to create a relationship with the brand, because the
distribution system is built in this way. You need to be updated with all drops, raffles, shops that sell limited stuff. If you do not manage to buy in common ways, you need to
understand how to get that specific item elsewhere.
You must stay in
connection with the brand and be always updated (Interviewee 4).”
“But I think, they really work well together in terms of community management (Interviewee 5).”
“I think, Supreme has become a culture. I think, when you buy Supreme you become part of this culture.
Part of this young youth group (Interviewee 6).“
“You want to be a part of
”I think it’s a feeling of being connected to something.
Being part of something big, rather than just wearing a brand (Interviewee 7).”
“I think it’s a feeling of being connected to something.
Being part of something big, rather than just wearing a brand. It’s the same thing as I told before. To get the feeling that come with wearing Supreme (Interviewee 7).”
“With Supreme it’s like you belong to a community.
People have similar interest to you when they wear it as well (Interviewee 7).”
”… preserve their coolness the mass will follow
(Interviewee 8).“
“Streetwear as a culture is build-on an unwavering sense of community… (N6)”
“In some regards, what makes people want to buy Supreme is the competitive, social aspect—to be able to go out in public and feel like you're less likely to be wearing clothes that everyone else is wearing (N7)."
Social Media “They follow, social media.
They follow a lot of famous people. Through that channel, they get their inspiration (Interviewee 6).”
“People that are really focused on social media buy Supreme. I think, if you don’t follow these people, you wouldn’t buy Supreme and you would stick with the mass market and with regular brands (Interviewee 6).”
Influencers “They understand how
trends are changing.
Everyone needs to share on social networks what are they doing, they wanna be
present, as similar to
influencers (Interviewee 1).”
“So Supreme right now is really really in fashion because of influencer marketing (Interviewee 3).”
“The guys that can’t afford it, sit on Instagram and see these famous rappers on influencers wearing
Supreme just start to grow a feeling that they need to buy some pieces (Interview 3).”
“They kids will still wear it, as long as the cool famous people will wear it. So, I don’t think this will end sometime soon
(Interviewee 8).”
“it is so easy for everyone to feel so cool as rapper and famous people (Interviewee 8).”
“They keep sending free stuff to them and all the
other guys will follow (Interviewee 8).”
Target Group “Supreme targets mostly males, between 14 and 25 years old. The brand appeals to everyone, both rich and poor (Interviewee 4).”
“They used to target skaters. So I would say younger people. Okay, now we have old skaters as well, but it used to be younger. I think, now they are target basically everyone who has an interest in fashion
(Interviewee 5).”
“So, it’s maybe 20-35 mostly male they target (Interviewee 5).”
“I would probably say. Boy and Girls 15/16-30 years.
And I would say it’s people who have fashion-instinct.
People who care about themselves. About their outer appearance. Who
culture. People who are focused on fashion and want to differentiate themselves in a way (Interviewee 6).”
“There is a difference between who they want to target and who is the real target group. Because the group that Supreme really wants to target are the famous people, the main influencers of a group.
Because then it will drip down to their follower and who look up to them. They target mainly on an
influencer level (Interviewee 7).”
”I don’t think Supreme cares anymore who buys it.
In the beginning it was very much for the skaters, the cool guys (Interviewee 8).”
Desired peer recognition “It’s sad but if you buy these items, it’s because you wanna share it somehow with peers and friends
“… it’s expensive, unique, and especially people that know about it will cheer you for the purchase
(Interviewee 1).”
”Because they are also interested in streetwear and I just had to show them that I got it. Yes, they were jealous and it felt good (Interviewee 5).”
“…they look to inspire or impress peers who share the same kind of interests as them, who will recognize that particular T-shirt (N8).”
“People want to be seen to be wearing Supreme...(N9)”
Purchasing Experience Rarity “… but still limited, difficult to find (Interviewee 1).”
“… it is not easy to get it (Interviewee 4).”
“So they only produce a limited stock to create that
“Every other brand besides Supreme sees a design that sells out, and so they make it over and over. But if Supreme knows an item is selling, they’ll stop making it, never make it again, and try something else (N10).”
Resell “But considering the fact,
that you have to get this box logo shirt you have to go to third-parties like personal shoppers who get you these things. You have to pay a high price
(Interviewee 5).”
“And once it’s sold out you cannot get it anywhere else despite second market opportunities. You can get it second hand, but then it becomes often 3 or 4 times the price, because of demand and supply (Interviewee 6).”
“Considering the resell price it is, because people cannot
only people who have money who can do that (Interviewee 7).”
“Supreme is the only brand whose clothing becomes more expensive as time passes (N11).”
“Supreme is the most re-selling worth clothing brand in the world. Period N(12).”
Brand Experience “It’s more an experience when you buy Supreme, you go, find out what it is, you go in the secret shop, or you participate a raffle etc. (Interviewee 1).”
“If you look at Supreme and they are having a new drop of a new line. You have to wait hours in line, even days to get the newest clothing (Interviewee 5).”
Loyalty “I don’t think Supreme has
loyal customers (Interviewee 2).”
“Yes, but loyal for a short period of time. I am not sure, that there are so many guys being loyal to Supreme for ten years. But many people have a phase, where they are very loyal (Interviewee 8).”