Kid Super and the Rise of Independent Fashion Brands

Zach Weiss

Jack Vogelsang

The prospect of creating a successful independent fashion brand has become increasingly possible in the digital age. It seems like everyone has at least one friend, whether close or peripheral, that has started making clothing in the last few years.

Perhaps you know someone who has turned their craft into a lucrative side business. Maybe they’ve done so well they’re pursuing it full time. While it is easier than ever for our friends and families to enter the fashion world, this means there are more small competitors than ever along with multinational conglomerates. How far can this now common path take them? Colm Dillane, the man behind Brooklyn that the possibilities are endless. To any creative aspiring to reach the highest heights in fashion, his ascension story is nothing short of heroic.

The 27-year-old designer has gone from selling clothes to classmates in cafeterias to having pieces worn by some of today’s biggest athletes and recording artists, according to Vogue. From Puma collaborations being sported by Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr., to musicians like Young Thug, Bad Bunny, and Steve Aoki donning brand apparel, to designing multiple album covers for Russ, KidSuper has truly become a cultural phenomenon.

As for the goofy, sometimes nude, and always eclectic mind behind the moniker, Dillane was born in New York City to immigrant parents from Hungary. From a young age, he felt instinctively compelled to express himself creatively.

Unimpressed by the uniformity of his peers’ fashion choices, he began screen printing T-shirts in high school to sell to close friends. During a gap year playing soccer in Brazil and his subsequent student-athlete studies at NYU, Dillane continued designing, ruminating on the potential of his artistic acumen. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time — except perhaps Dillane himself — the foundation for something special had been laid.

Dillane’s vision for KidSuper began with a simple proclamatory ethos, “Wait, I’m my own superhero. An idea that anything and everything was possible. From clothing, to music videos, to gallery shows,

Now, only a few years later, he’s graduated to showcasing his own art-adorned garments on the runways of Paris and New York fashion weeks. garb through a mix of vibrant colors, unorthodox patterns, and playful characters.

What’s more, KidSuper’s intrepid rise has been perpetually shared with supporters. Branding and social media engagement are inextricable in today’s industry, but KidSuper’s commitment to creativity, authenticity, and accessibility are nearly unprecedented. Dillane regularly posts silly skits, clips of himself ice skating sans clothes (censored, of course), process videos, and short movies for each seasonal line to his Instagram and virtual fashion show and exists as an artistic feat independent of its marketing function.

Dillane fosters a sincerely intimate connection with his followers that sets him apart from the strategic marketing of large fashion houses and established industry giants. By endearing himself to fans and developing a diverse multimedia brand to support continually unique endeavors, KidSuper has been ingratiated as an institution of fashion, New York, and the full scope of pop culture.

Ironically though, the center of his operation hides in plain sight. An unassuming aqua-colored building, the KidSuper Studio has become a staple of Brooklyn’s South Williamsburg neighborhood. The headquarters — which, in a Vice Dillane humorously noted some have mistaken for a daycare — has become a hub for constant multimedia creation. A home base that “looks

Inside the ever-evolving space is a multi-purpose eccentricity. Walls are populated with KidSuper’s past art and future projects. Racks of the brand’s latest clothing are likewise adorned with prints or embroidery of his sketches and paintings. Upon space for photo shoots, and even a small soccer Despite his international success and connection to superstars, Dillane is committed to maintaining his childlike nature and connecting with anyone who excites him. On a recent Instagram Live, he expressed that he’s always interested in collaborating with up-and-coming artists, lesser known designers, or anyone else whose craft catches his eye. His Instagram Story revealed an upcoming collaboration with Soundcloud rapper $not. The project will feature packaging which parodies tissue boxes, complete with KidSuper x $not branding in Kleenex font. In an industry hampered by classism and exclusivity, KidSuper’s dedication to humility is a ringing testament to the value of engaging others. Cultivating such monumental platforms comes with a responsibility to uphold the values for which brands are recognized. Moreover, the interconnectedness of our modern media landscape allows creators to leverage their audiences in the shifting paradigms of industry and society at large.

That dynamic was especially evident this past summer, when Black Lives Matter protests came to the forefront of discourse following numerous Informed by his multicultural upbringing, Dillane expressed how imperative it is to facilitate progress by shedding light on pervasive intersectional issues such as racial injustice and police brutality. Partnering with numerous BLM organizations, he created a capsule of shirts bearing the names and likenesses of many of the recent victims, underscored with the message “remember all their names.” An extensive and loyal following allowed the brand to sell out the entire set through multiple $500,000, all of which were donated to the various partner institutions.

KidSuper’s success has created the blueprint for all independent creatives looking to become enterprise has proven that originality and openness are the key ingredients for the democratization of fashion. Dillane’s methods of establishing resonance show that the proliferation of potential to grow organic followings through social media. For artists who wish to actualize every project and seemingly unrealistic goal their dreams may conjure, KidSuper demonstrates the rewards of determination, the fruits of collaboration, and the achievability of ubiquity. Equipped with the power of ambition, Colm Dillane has indeed become the time we all follow suit.