FUBU

FUBU is a clothing company. It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suite collection, eyewear, belts, and shoes. The name is an acronym for "For Us, By Us", indicating that the product line was made for blacks, by blacks [ [http://www.snopes.com/business/names/fubu.asp Snopes.com - FuBu] ] .

History

The company was founded in 1992 by Daymond John with a line of hats made in his house in Queens, New York City. With seed money of around $5,000, John and his three friends Carl Brown, J. Alexander Martin, and Keith Perrin, turned half of his mother's house into a factory and the other half into living space for the five [web cite |url=http://www.fubu.com/mainpage.html|title=FUBU Mainpage, About us/company info |date=17 December 2007] . John's mother later mortgaged her home for more financial support of the young men.

In fact, the "05" motif commonly found on FUBU jerseys is a reference to these five founders of the clothing lineFact|date=April 2007.

FUBU staff started the company for their local youth community. The founders intended to compete with sportswear companies such as Nike, Inc., which use inner-city youth in New York and elsewhere to research what is coolFact|date=April 2007 , then make products from the feedback. FUBU felt that Nike was profiting from the authenticity of New York street fashion without giving enough back to the community, and that to this extent African-American culture was being exploitedFact|date=April 2007. In targeting city youth and defining their competitors this way, FUBU stirred controversy as to whether the company intended to shut out non-blacks, although many people of other backgrounds wear their clothing Fact|date=April 2007. FUBU insists they are not intentionally exclusive, and their marketing targets all people.

Collection

The FUBU collection consists of T-shirts, rugby shirts, hockey and football jerseys, baseball caps, shoes and denim jeans. All are embroidered with the FUBU logo. Most of the products, such as the jeans, are imported from around the world. FUBU has now expanded to include various lines such as Platinum FUBU, FUBU footwear for men and women, intimate apparel, active wear, swimwear, watches, FUBU suits, and FUBU tuxedos. The Platinum FUBU collection also includes the Fat Albert and Harlem Globetrotters clothing lines.

In 1995, South Korean company Samsung [web cite |url=http://www.samsungamerica.com/Graphics/fubu.asp|title=Samsung America, Inc. – FUBU |date=17 March 2008] invested in the New York based clothing company.

At its peak, FUBU grossed over $350 million dollars in annual worldwide sales. FUBU have received several honors for their entrepreneurial achievements. These include two Congressional Awards, two NAACP Awards, the Pratt Institute Award, the Christopher Wallace Award, the Online Hip-Hop Award and a Citation of Honor from the Queens Borough President.

FUBU popularity has steeply declined in the United States in recent yearsFact|date=August 2008, but remains a competitive brand on the international market.

References

Links

*http://www.samsungamerica.com/Graphics/fubu.asp