OBEY clothing was founded on the artwork on infamous street artist Shepard Fairey. For the artist it started out as a novelty sticker he put together in 1989, whilst studying at Rhode Island School of Design and has since evolved into a worldwide street art campaign.
OBEY is deeply rooted in the do-it-yourself counterculture of punk rock and skateboarding, also taking influence from popular culture, commercial marketing and most significantly, political messaging.
In 2001, OBEY clothing was formed as an extension of this movement, acting as another platform for Fairey to showcase his work and spread his message. The clothing itself is heavily military inspired, with work wear basics and various nods to the artist’s work. Headed by Mike Tenorsky, the obey clothing team work to curate a product that represents Shepard Fairey’s influences, ideal and philosophy.