Sold Out: The Underground Economy of Supreme Resellers

Complex explores the feeding frenzy behind the legendary New York streetwear brand Supreme.

The documentary dives into the reselling culture, to find out what it is like to resell Supreme for a living. Watch both parts of the documentary below. Enjoy!

‘Sold Out: The Underground Economy of Supreme Resellers’ Part 1

The first episode of Sold Out: lays the foundation for the story at hand. Legendary writer Glenn O’Brien, along with top menswear editors, make sense of the hype around Supreme and explain the brand’s success. Introducing you to the world of Supreme reselling where $40 T-shirts can be upsold to $500.

‘Sold Out: The Underground Economy of Supreme Resellers’ Part 2

The second episode of Sold Out: introduces some of the biggest players in this market. These resellers, all but one of whom requested to have their identities hidden, divulge information on the secretive, competitive nature of their businesses and break down the science behind their operations, most of which are done through eBay, PayPal, Instagram, and sometimes consignment shops. They also reveal the struggles of being a Supreme reseller, the backlash they’ve received from the public and Supreme, the latter of which has expressed in the past its disapproval of resellers and will sometimes forbid resellers to purchase items in-store, as well as what it takes to be successful in this world.

‘Sold Out: The Underground Economy of Supreme Resellers’ Part 3

The third episode of Sold Out: The resellers gets into the specifics of turning a profit flipping Supreme product. Here, the resellers make sense of how someone in their teens can earn upwards of $4,000 selling T-shirts, and exactly how one can turn this into a full-time job. They’ll also break down their own individual formulas for success: researching the market, knowing which items to purchase, learning how to price products, and building credibility.

The Backlash of Reselling Supreme (Part 4)

The fourth, and final, episode of Sold Out explains, as per top menswear editors and other experts, why Supreme should or shouldn’t view the business as benefiting the brand. It also tells the story of the adverse reactions resellers have faced—but also the friendships these individuals have made.

Explore Supreme’s website.