Would You Accept $83K Per Month To Only Wear One Brand?
Landing an endorsement deal for any public figure is a sign of truly making it in the entertainment business. From Beyoncé and Levi’s to rap sensation GloRilla’s full-circle campaign with her former fast food employer Checkers & Rally’s, the results can be both exciting for fans and quite lucrative for all parties involved on the advertising side.
However, not all deals are cut from the same cloth and can result in some pretty ugly litigation when all is said and done. We see that scenario playing out right now with streetwear mainstay Supreme and its former team rider, Tyshawn Jones. The 26-year-old pioneering Black skater, who’s been representing for the brand since he was 13, filed the lawsuit back in May with claims that Supreme unrightfully dropped him in late 2024 for breach of contract from a deal that had him receiving a whopping $83,333.33 per month to solely wear the NYC-bred skate imprint.
The details of Tyshawn’s deal were made public in a recent profile on him by GQ, where The Bronx-born native spoke at length on his rise in the skate community that led to him being a two-time Thrasher Skater of the Year and even appearing in a music video by Kendrick Lamar. Take a look below at how the outlet breaks down the legal mumbo jumbo in this situation:
“In May, Jones filed a $26 million lawsuit against Supreme, alleging wrongful contract termination. The suit alleges that Supreme had raised no concerns when Jones, who’s been repped by DNA Models since 2019, had modeled for other brands in the past. The suit asserts that the company disparaged Jones within the industry and that Supreme had terminated his contract in order to cut costs in the wake of a recent acquisition. (In 2020, Supreme was sold to VF Corp, the brand conglomerate that owns Vans, Dickies, The North Face, and Timberland, for $2.1 billion. Last year VF sold it for $1.5 billion—or $600,000,000 less—to EssilorLuxottica, the French and Italian multinational holding company that owns Ray-Ban and Oakley.)
In early August of this year, attorneys for Supreme filed a motion to dismiss Jones’ suit, asserting that ‘apparel exclusivity was the sine qua non’ of Jones’ agreement with Supreme, and that the Marc Jacobs/Nigo ad constituted a ‘clear violation’ of that agreement. Among the exhibits entered into evidence was Jones’ Supreme contract, which stipulated that Jones would be paid $83,333.33 per month ‘to prominently wear a SUPREME branded top (e.g., shirt, tank, sweatshirt, button-down, sweater or jacket), pants and underwear every day.’
Jones’ initial complaint against Supreme asserts that Supreme had ‘consistently’ told Jones and his representatives that ‘so long as you’re not doing anything for another skate[boarding] brand, or a skateboarding team, we don’t have a problem with it, and don’t want to stand in the way of you making money.'”
Of course, Jones isn’t able to comment on pending legal matters — he gave GQ a firm and frosty reply of “No” — but it still leaves us with the burning question of whether or not it was fair. On one hand, Supreme is one of the hottest clothing brands on the market and the payout itself totals to a little under $1 million after taxes. Still, barely breaking a milli to show loyalty to one brand when five alternative endorsements could supersede that number completely sounds like a tough bargain.
How much is the price of loyalty to you? Would you be able to accept a million per year from the hottest brand in the biz if it meant you had to hang up all your other favorite brands forever? See what some are saying on social media below and let us know your thoughts:
1. With this knowledge in mind Tyshawn Jones was making a Mill off just one of his sponsorships like that shit is not normal in skating they just wanted to fuck bruh over when they started losing money cause Supreme was taking L’s left and right that year
via @Ninos_Creed
2, Imagen [sic] being Tyshawn Jones getting paid $83K per month to wear Supreme and fumbling over a superman mark stupid Jacobs sweater lmao
via @kevnjosua
3. Woulda Added Supreme To My Name.
via @Munchie_Madness
4. Tyshawn put work in that’s lame. @nikesb y’all should sign bro.
via @Mari773Mari
5. Supreme did the most to NOT pay Tyshawn Jones a milli. This comes out to $999999.96 pre-tax. EVERY outfit? EVERY day? Add some zeroes to that.
via @SceneByAshlix
6. Tyshawn Jones felt he was underpaid by Supreme and requested an increase in compensation..bruh $83k every 30 days isn’t enough?? 😵💫
via @1THWg
7. I understand where Tyshawn Jones coming from. Supreme probably woulda had me for a year or two ngl especially if I got access to the archives but not having the freedom to actually wear what I want to would probably drive me crazy
via @FearOfPieces
8. Tyshawn Jones was making $1M+ a year to wear Supreme every day shirt, pants, and underwear. That’s not endorsement, that’s lifestyle.
via @newdropstudio
9. Supreme was paying Tyshawn Jones 83k a month just to wear supreme, some ppl in this world have it soo good wow
via @iluvaves
I cannot believe Supreme offered Tyshawn Jones $83k a month just to wear their brand every day. This sounds like the easiest fuking contract on the planet
via @5PantyBandit2
Would You Accept $83K Per Month To Only Wear One Brand? was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
