How OBEY Became The Best Subversive Clothing Brand | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

How OBEY Became The Best Subversive Clothing Brand

Shepard Fairey has been telling it like it is with style.

555
How OBEY Became The Best Subversive Clothing Brand
obeyclothing.com

I'll admit, I missed the point of OBEY completely at first. There's a subtle irony to the slogans and pictures that went right over my head, and I suspect that happened to a good amount of the tough-guy boys in my high school, too. Shepard Fairey founded the company in 2001, and I've always seen the bold red-and-white logo peppered around in crowds of teenagers. However, it turns out that Fairey's designs are a lot more interesting than you can tell at first glance.

Fairey started designing anti-corporate art around 1989, later emulating artists like Banksy and Barbara Kruger, as well as brands like Supreme. Street art was a huge inspiration, with Fairey's "Andre The Giant" showing up in spray paint or stickers around urban areas. Nowadays OBEY's art is commissioned to be displayed on buildings, so the sneaky graffiti aspect isn't as big as it was back then. Fairey's OBEY brand is almost a household name, now: he works with a diverse range of artists to produce new art, the most recent being the Amplifier Foundation, who helped produce posters that became very popular at the Women's March this year. OBEY has also designed album art, skateboards, and just about any other kind of street-worthy merch you can think of. The striking contrast of the colors is instantly recognizable, like a 21st-century version of wartime propaganda posters.

According to the OBEY "manifesto," the brand's purpose is to catch your attention through the concept of phenomenology: "The obey sticker attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings." In other words, it's meant to make you stop and think for a while. It's beautiful art and has catchy slogans, but Fairey's designs also tackle important social issues with laser precision. From the Standing Rock protests to police brutality, OBEY directly challenges our prejudices and stereotypes on these topics. And looks very stylish while doing so.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

1358
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

447903
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

20783
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

43949
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments