Billionaire Boys Club (BBC) is an American fashion label based in New York City founded by Pharrell Williams and Nigo in 2003. Its sublabels include Ice Cream, Bee Line and Billionaire Girls Club.
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder |
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| Headquarters |
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Number of locations | 4 store locations (New York City, Miami, London, Tokyo) |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom, Japan |
| Products | Apparel, footwear, fashion accessories |
| Website | http://www.bbcicecream.com/ |
History
editIn 2003, singer Pharrell Williams and his manager Rob Walker partnered with fashion designer and A Bathing Ape creator Nigo, and Japanese graphic designer, Sk8thing to create Billionaire Boys Club.[1] The brand is credited with helping popularize streetwear's visibility in high fashion.[2]
Billionaire Boys Club debuted in Williams' 2003 "Frontin'" music video. In 2004, Ice Cream, originally a subsidiary of Billionaire Boys Club, unveiled its skate-centric footwear line, licensed by Reebok.[3][4] Ice Cream graphics feature all-over print motifs of beepers, dollar signs and diamonds. A year later, Billionaire Boys Club branched out from its online origin, setting up a store in Tokyo, Japan and later expanding to New York and London.
In August 2011 rapper Jay-Z, a frequent collaborator of Williams, partnered with the Billionaire Boys Club line. Later the rapper, through a joint venture with Iconix, invested in the brand.[2] The following year BBC recorded high $25 million to $30 million in volume, up from $12 million. Williams reacquired Iconix's stake in the business in 2017.
BBC has several sublabels, including Billionaire Girls Club for women and Bee Line, a collaboration with Mark McNairy.[2][5]
In 2023, the brand opened a store in Paris, in a boutique styled like a retro American diner.[6]
Locations
editBillionaire Boys Club has a US flagship store in SoHo, New York City, a European flagship store in Soho, London has now permanently closed, and a store in Tokyo, Japan. Several stores that retail Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream clothing exist across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.[citation needed]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cook, Xerxes (2015-11-27). "English Inspiration | The Brain Behind Japan's Biggest Streetwear Brand". Amuse. Vice Media. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ^ a b c Blagrove, Kadia; La Puma, Joe; Deleon, Jian (Dec 3, 2013). "The Oral History of Billionaire Boys Club and Icecream". Complex. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
- ^ Lindsay, Greg (September 1, 2004). "The Rebirth of Cool: Reebok Has Given Up on Trying to Beat Nike at the Hard-Core Sports Game. Instead, It Wants to Become the Shoe Brand for Hip-Hoppers, Hipsters, and Other Fashion-Forward Urbanites". Fortune. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
- ^ Destefano, Mike (Sep 22, 2018). "Pharrell's Ice Cream Sneakers Are Coming Back for $350". Complex. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
- ^ Lipke, David (2013-06-06). "New Strategy for Billionaire Boys Club". WWD. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
- ^ "Billionaire Boys Club Wants To Spoil You in Paris With Retro-Inspired Diner". Hypebae. 2023-07-12. Retrieved 2024-04-28.