Supreme in Manhattan is arguably the most influential skate boutique and sneaker store in the world. Not only did they originate and create the model of the much-copied sneaker and streetwear boutique, they have remained on top for—oh, let’s say—fifteen years? Yeah, if you didn’t know, they’re the OGs of the game. Akin to the shop itself, Charles Lamb is an NY skater, born and raised, from the attitude on down. Charles has risen to become Supreme’s manager, buyer and resident curmudgeon. —PJC

Are you offended by how many shops have bitten Supreme’s style? There must be thousands of skate boutiques nowadays.
I’m not offended at all. More like disappointed. People are very good at copying, but at the end of the day, all that work they put in could have been directed towards something original.

Good answer. Now, if you have Supreme shops in Japan, why are there so many Japanese dudes always in both shops stateside?
The reason for that is because the clothing costs almost twice as much in Japan as it does here. If you ever go to Tokyo, there are tons of little shops that resell Supreme all over the place. It’s people that are affiliated with those places that travel here and LA to try to buy popular pieces that make their stores look good.
What makes Supreme so valuable as a brand? Is it legacy, or is it the stuff you’re doing now? Or is it both?
It’s both. Collectors love the old stuff, younger people love the new stuff, and in NY, everyone tries to look like us.

Would you even call Supreme a skate shop? I know the dudes who work there are skaters, but what percentage of the customers are?
Skaters still meet and congregate here, but the customer is rarely a skater. Somehow skateboards became a fashion accessory around last summer. Kids who hold the board by the truck, that sort of thing. It’s funny style, but money is still green no matter who’s spending it.

Alright, let’s talk kicks. What’re your everyday shoes?
Recently I’ve been wearing those new Converse mids. They’re sick. Clark Desert boots in the winter. And I always wear the Supreme Vans whenever they come out.

You collect?
Any Supreme shoe collab I had was worn until they were unwearable. I come across too many shoes to hang onto anything.

What shoes are you skating in?
Dunk Lo SBs are pretty good for skating—no break-in period required. Put them on and they’re instantly skateable. The new Converse shoes that are coming out are way more comfortable, however. I’ve had two pairs of them and they’re sick. A little on the bulky side, though. For a while I loved skating in Vans, but I would just blow through them too quickly. I need skate shoes to last for more than five days.
What’s the craziest shoe release you guys have done? What happened?
The craziest release had to be the “What The Dunk?.” Police barricades, stormy weather all week, and a huge group of kids waiting four days, all comparing their Swoosh tattoos with their Jumpman tattoos as they waited—all made for a crazy event. I was relieved when it was all over in 45 minutes.

What are your five favorite Supreme lines?
1. “You can’t get a discount, but you can count on getting dissed.” —R. Hickey
2. “Any drop-offs?”
3. “The guys at Supreme LA are my homies.”
4. “It’s only free when you don’t ask for it.”
5. “This is all you got?”

Any hints about what’s in the pipes at Supreme?
The artist collaborations are something to look forward to. The projects that are presented at Supreme set us apart from other skate shops, or “boutiques.” It’s always gotta be more than just a trendy image on a tee. Supreme has always managed tap into culture a bit further than just streetwear.
Okay, one last thing, which was utterly confusing to me: why was Spring’s Kermit the Frog release such a hit? Why is Kermit suddenly valuable enough to camp out for? Any theories?
A lot of people ask about the Kermit thing. I can’t really speak for the creators of the idea, but my take on it is this: the past three or four seasons for Supreme have been the best, and when we release a series of new graphic tees, there have been a few displaying hip-hop iconography. There was the Raekwon tee, where he was holding an Elmo doll, and his associate, also in the photo, was holding an Uzi. The next one was the Juelz Santana and Jim Jones tee; Jim was kind of lurking in the background, blunt in mouth. These tees sold out in one day. Then there’s Kermit, who is just posted up in the photo wearing the coveted box logo tee. There’s something about the sequence of how these tees came out that I think added to its popularity. It also has to do with the logo that Kermit is wearing, which we rarely make anymore. Plus we put out the Kubrick Kermit toy along with it and put him on a logo board. It was just a different idea. But I did think to myself, “Why?” Especially when people over thirty years old were lining up day after day in hopes of buying the Kermit tee.

Alright, any last words, Mr. Lamb?
Just wanted to say one thing about the rumors of everyone at Supreme NY being assholes…true story.

Pull quote: “Just wanted to say one thing about the rumors of everyone at Supreme NY being assholes…true story.”