Stussy

Stüssy, Inc

Type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	1980s in Laguna Beach, California, U.S.
Founder	Shawn Stussy
Headquarters	Irvine, California, U.S.
Number of locations	60+ stores (2008)
Area served	North America, Asia, Europe, Australia
Products	Apparel
Owner	The Sinatra Family
Website	Stussy.com

Stüssy /ˈstuːsi/ is a clothing brand and private company started in the early 1980s by Shawn Stussy. The company is one of many that benefited from the surfwear trend originating in Orange County, California, but it has largely been adopted by the streetwear and hip-hop scenes.

The logo which has defined the brand started in the early 1980s after Shawn Stussy began scrawling his surname on his handcrafted surfboards with a broad tipped marker. He began using the logo on T-shirts, shorts and caps that he sold out of his car around Laguna Beach, California. The signature was derived from that of his uncle, Jan Stussy.

In 1984, Stussy and his friend, Frank Sinatra Jr. (no relation to the singer), partnered to sell the apparel. The company expanded to Europe by 1988 and later opened a boutique store in SoHo, New York. The brand continued to open successful locations throughout the 1990s. It was reported that revenues reached $17 million in 1991 and $20 million in 1992. By 1992, the brand was sold throughout the United States at specialty boutiques and department stores alongside other high-priced "California lifestyle" clothing. Outside of the country, the brand was found in specialty shops alongside clothing from high-end international designers.

In 1996, Stussy resigned as president of the company and Sinatra bought his share of the company holdings. The Sinatra family still own the brand. According to the company's website, the apparel is available in company branded stores and other retailers in Europe, Asia, the United States, Canada and Australia.

The early success of the brand has been attributed to its popularity in the hip-hop DJ and Skater / Surfer scenes. The brand was also embraced by Punks and other street subcultures. In a 1992 interview Stussy said: "Everybody calls it surf wear, or urban street wear, or surf street... I don't name it, and I don't name it on purpose."