Godfather of Streetwear

The 'Godfather of Streetwear' is an honorific title applied to foundational figures who shaped the culture before it had a name. The title most commonly refers to two people: Shawn Stussy, who created the template for streetwear brands in 1980s California by fusing surf, skate, punk, and hip-hop aesthetics, and Hiroshi Fujiwara, who imported Western street culture to Japan and mentored the next generation of designers including NIGO and Jun Takahashi. Both claims have merit: Stussy created the business model (limited releases, lifestyle branding, global tribe) while Fujiwara demonstrated how to synthesize influences and elevate streetwear's cultural positioning. The title occasionally extends to James Jebbia (Supreme's founder), though he's more often credited as streetwear's most influential retailer rather than godfather. The term itself reflects streetwear's obsession with lineage and authenticity—knowing who came first and who influenced whom is cultural literacy. These godfather figures established that streetwear wasn't just clothing but a way of moving through the world.