American hype brand Supreme have taken a vintage 90s-era Inter Milan track jacket as inspiration for one of their latest releases, as they pay homage to the design of the original with the ‘Big Letter Track Jacket’, which also possibly hints at the brand’s future plans.
As a brand, Supreme take a great deal of inspiration from the past, to the point where the originality of their designs has often been in question. But just where does the line fall between plagiarism, celebration and inspiration? It’s a think line, for sure, and it’s one that the brand are tip-toeing around once more, with the ‘Big Letter’ design, which shares some startling similarities with the Umbro-created Inter Milan track jacket from the 91/92 season.
The original Inter design was released smack bang in the middle of the golden period of matchday tracksuit design; a place where oversized logos, oversized club crests, a mish-mash of colours and layering, and a 90s vibe that is unmistakably throwback reign supreme. As a result, we’re happy to stick the Supreme ‘Big Letter track jacket’ firmly in the nostalgia-filled homage camp as another tool in our campaign to bring back the retro match day tracksuit, which continues to gather pace at an alarming rate.
But while some will scream plagiarism, there could be another reason. Rumours persist that Supreme are set to open a store in Milan, and while the speculated July date may have been put paid to with the Covid-19 outbreak, hints such as this jacket persist. The brand have set a precedent in the past of not officially communicating store openings, instead opting to send clues and leave traces of their next moves and plans.
The Big Letter Track Jacket is available at supremenewyork.com
