Fashion Founders: Shawn Stussy of Stüssy
Fashion Founders: Shawn Stussy of Stüssy
By Campbell Bensley — November 7, 2025
Long before Stüssy became a household name and helped define modern streetwear as we know it, its founder, Shawn Stussy, was just another surfer living in Laguna Beach.
Stussy grew up surfing the waves of Southern California and shaping surfboards on the side for work. He began gaining notoriety as a board shaper in Laguna Beach, crafting custom boards for local pros who passed through the area.
In an interview with Monster Children, he recalled this period in his life, saying, “I was making boards, struggling financially, but in heaven creatively.”
In the early 1980s, he began experimenting with the idea of scrawling his signature across his handmade boards, and the now-iconic Stüssy logo was born.
“We were just coming off the late ’70s — The Clash, the Sex Pistols, right? Punk had happened, and that was why Stussy was written that way,” Stussy said.
Soon, he began printing the logo on t-shirts, at first just to sell alongside his boards. But word quickly spread across the country, and by the late 1980s, Stüssy had become a cultural phenomenon, producing everything from graphic tees to denim. The logo became synonymous with the surf, skate, and hip-hop scenes of the late 80s. By 1988, the brand had expanded into Europe and was at the peak of its influence.
By 1996, Shawn Stussy had slowly lost his passion for the project. At the height of the brand’s success, he stepped down as president of Stüssy and quietly left the company. For more than a decade, Stussy disappeared from the spotlight, retreating to Hawaii to surf and spend time with family.
Then, in 2008, Stussy reemerged with a new project—a label called S/Double. Based in Santa Barbara, S/Double served as a blank canvas for Stussy to reignite his creative spark. The brand blended classic workwear and surfwear with the minimalist craftsmanship of Japanese design, tailored more towards Stussy’s personal aesthetic.
Over a decade later, Stussy made yet another surprise return, collaborating with Kim Jones, then artistic director of Dior Homme, for Dior’s pre-fall 2020 collection. The collection featured everything from shoes and clothing to surfboards, each piece layered with Stussy’s iconic hand-drawn graphics and psychedelic motifs.
This collaboration marked a full-circle moment, symbolizing streetwear’s acceptance into the world of high fashion. For Shawn Stussy, it was proof of the legacy he had built and a testament to his lasting influence on both streetwear and luxury design.
For more fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content, keep reading Square Magazine. Follow Square on Instagram and TikTok for exclusive content.
Photos belong to their respective owners.