Store to Store: UNION LA
UNION is as OG as it gets. Not many stores have the depth of history at such a crucial time of streetwear culture, largely birthing what we have today. Their origin is intertwined with Stüssy, Supreme and UNDEFEATED - all of which have stood the test of time, dominating and expanding the sneaker world we love.
Opening its doors in 1989, UNION was founded by James Jebbia (Supreme founder), Mary Anne Fusco, and Eddie Cruz. (That's 5 years before Supreme and the Box Logo were even created.) The UNION store was a pioneer in streetwear, focusing on up-and-coming designers from the US, as well as imports from the UK and especially Japan.
A lesser-known fact, UNION actually started in New York before expanding to LA. The expansion was a result of a close relationship between the UNION team and Sean Stüssy. A joint space for the two stores, The Stüssy Union was launched in LA in 1991. This was later to become what we know as UNION LA.
James Jebbia stayed in New York to manage the Stussy store and start Supreme in 1994, while Eddie Cruz founded UNDEFEATED in 2002. So UNION was in need of a new leader. Enter: Chris Gibbs - the person we know now as the face and owner of UNION.
Born in Canada, Gibbs moved to New York to study in the mid-90s. With a love for street culture, Chris started working for the UNION NY store in 1996 thanks to his girlfriend – now wife – Beth Birkett.
Chris worked closely with Mary Anne Fusco on UNION's day-to-day operations, staying at the NY store until 2009 when it closed due to the recession. When the Manhattan branch closed, Eddie Cruz asked Chris if he wanted to buy UNION LA - an offer Gibbs could never pass up on. He accepted and Chris and his wife Beth have been running the store ever since, releasing some of the best Jordan and Nike collaborations of the last decade, while also continuing to stock the most important brands from the US, UK, Japan and beyond. The team also launched a Japan store in 2018, a fitting location for UNION that made its name obsessing over and importing the best streetwear from Japan.
Another interesting fact is that UNION's “Frontman” logo - the ambiguous silhouette, is essentially their version of the Jumpman. It wasn’t seen on early apparel but has always been part of their store signage and recently featured on their Dunk Low release. The logo itself was designed by Korean-American designer Sung Choi, another streetwear OG from the 90s. UNION even admitted recently they kind of liked the mystery behind it more.
We left the best for last: UNION collaborations with Nike and Jordan. They've collaborated with Converse, adidas Consortium and Vans in the past, but with their recent Jordan 2 release, it's fitting we look at UNION's relationship with The Swoosh.
UNION x Nike Air Force 180 'Clerks Pack'
Released in 2005, Nike enlisted stores to give their own twist on the Air Force 180 model. Most recognized for its 1992 “Dream Team” rendition, the Air Force 180 was an evolution in performance with 50% more Air cushioning. UNION's version turned the Air Force 180 into the “Clerks Pack” colourway, signalling the start of a powerful relationship between UNION and Nike/Jordan.
UNION x Air Jordan 1
If you ask anyone what their favourite Jordan 1 is, chances are high they will say "UNION 1s". Released in 2018, the first collaboration between UNION and Jordan broke the internet. Two different colourway styles represent the Union x Air Jordan 1; one took on the classic “Black Toe” with the ankle collar of the mythical White/Grey, while another made use of the equally rare White/Blue with the iconic Black/Red ankle.
To communicate the vintage feel, Gibbs opted for a super-soft leather upper, while the ankles feature a weathered suede to reflect the aged nature of the shoes. The pack was also accompanied by matching retro-style apparel. Good luck finding one today. Resell prices sit around R35k.
UNION x Air Jordan 4
Following on from their massive AJ1 release, UNION turned to a shoe that was close to Gibbs' heart - the Air Jordan 4. Releasing in 4 colourways, Gibbs stated, "The vision here was to mix suede and mesh, so we worked really hard to find the right materials. For the suede, we took hints from other products with really thick but plush suede … For the mesh, we wanted an old-school mesh like the OG sneakers of the '80s". The result is an avant-garde adaptation of MJ's fourth signature silhouette with a folded, stitched tongue that can be cut out if you like.
UNION x Nike Un-Cortez
Starting the relationship with Nike, UNION dropped the Un-Cortez this year. The brand discarded the usual smooth leather uppers of this silhouette and delivers a completely new look and feel. The base is formed with beige canvas material and is decorated with teal, brown and pink stripes across the lateral and medial sides. UNION's signature Frontman logo can be seen on the exterior flaps.
UNION x Nike Dunk Low
This year, UNION also remixed a Dunk Low for a collection that pays homage to the three cities they have called home - New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo. The UNION x Dunk Low, with a Ripstop upper and stitching left unfinished, put a new spin on a classic that inspired Gibbs years ago.
UNION x Air Jordan 2
That brings us up to present with the latest model to get the UNION treatment. The UNION x Air Jordan 2 releases have been rolling out globally to a massive reception, selling out instantly everywhere. For the release, one pair comes dressed in “Grey Fog/Siren Red-Light Smoke Grey” and the other sports a “Rattan/Siren Red-Beach-Orange Peel” colour blocking. Both come constructed in a mix of nylon and suede with added perforations on the overlays, as well as UN/LA tags and exposed-foam tongues with co-branded tongue tags. The pack is accompanied by jackets, hoodies, track pants, shorts and tees. The apparel keeps it simple like the kicks with blue, yellow, grey and beige, finished off with patches and other weathered details. The pack features playful remixes of the AJ logo throughout, with the Frontman logo featured boldly on the tees.
