In a move that has reignited excitement across the fashion and surf communities, legendary surfboard shaper and style pioneer Shawn Stussy has come out of retirement to relaunch his personal brand, S/DOUBLE. This revival marks his return to the industry where his name has become synonymous with streetwear and surf culture.
The announcement came during the heat of the summer, over the Independence Day weekend, when Stussy revealed his plans to reintroduce S/DOUBLE, a brand that first emerged years ago as a reflection of his personal style and vision. This September, the brand is set to debut its first new collection since Stussy’s unexpected return to the scene.
Collaborating with the skate and surf heritage brand Globe, Stussy’s S/DOUBLE is set to offer a fresh take on the modern streetwear landscape. It’s important to note that Stussy’s involvement is entirely independent of his namesake label, Stussy, which he has not been affiliated with since selling his shares in 1996.
Stussy made it clear in an interview with SURFER that he has no intentions of returning to his former brand. Instead, his focus is entirely on S/DOUBLE, a brand he describes as a pure expression of his unfiltered creativity. With assistance from Peter and Stephen Hill, the Australian founders of Globe, Stussy is determined to shape this new venture according to his vision, even if it doesn’t carry his signature logo.
“I am engaged and ready to move the needle once again,” Stussy declared in a handwritten note announcing the brand’s comeback.
Highsnobiety, a leading voice in fashion media, highlighted that the original iteration of S/DOUBLE was ahead of its time. The brand’s American and Japanese-made hoodies, five-pocket jeans, leather belts, and work boots were pioneers in the post-skate movement, long before it became a widespread trend. Despite this forward-thinking approach, S/DOUBLE’s first run was short-lived, quietly ceasing operations by 2017 after a final collaboration with BEAMS.
Although Stussy has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of S/DOUBLE’s upcoming offerings, rumors are swirling about potential projects, including a Shawn Stussy-inspired Land Rover.
Stussy’s deep roots in surfing are integral to his design philosophy. From his early days shaping surfboards in the ’80s to becoming an international fashion icon, Stussy’s influence has been undeniable. His signature, once a staple on surfboards, became an emblematic feature in the world of streetwear.
His entry into fashion began in 1981 when he introduced printed logo T-shirts at the Action Sports Retailer trade show. To his surprise, the shirts outsold his surfboards, marking the beginning of his journey into apparel. By 1984, with the business acumen of Frank Sinatra Jr. (no relation to the singer), Stussy’s brand evolved into a lifestyle clothing line inspired by surf, skate, and hip-hop culture—a precursor to what is now recognized as streetwear.
Even after all these years, Stussy remains an enigmatic figure, resisting labels and categories. “Everybody calls it surf wear, or urban street wear, or surf street,” Stussy once told The New York Times in 1992. “They’re all names. I don’t name it, and I don’t name it on purpose. I just make basic clothes that a 10-year-old can wear and my dad can wear.”
Now, as the next chapter of S/DOUBLE unfolds, it’s likely that a new generation—along with those who grew up with Stussy’s original designs—will eagerly embrace the brand’s resurgence.
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