Even Supreme’s COVID-19 t-shirt isn’t safe from resellers

Last week saw Supreme announced the release of a new box logo t-shirt, designed in collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, from which all profits would go to HELP USA – a US-based organisation supporting homeless people on the streets. 

Given this is a pretty (see: very) good cause, you’d be forgiven for thinking the resellers usually associated with buying up the NY skate brand's drops and listing them online at extremely inflated prices would this time… well, maybe not, right? Wrong. First landing on digital shelves last Friday, pretty unsurprisingly the style sold out immediately, and now, just a few days later, is cropping up on a number of resale sites across the web. 

Since its release, the top has been listed almost 170 times on eBay, where it’s currently going for up to $1,450. Elsewhere, on StockX, it has been sold 965 times for an average of $587, while on Friday alone GQ reported that Grailed had sold over 50 of the t-shirts for an average of $988. This shirt was originally retailed at $60. 

While the top’s appearance on resale platforms has obviously left many people feeling uneasy, both Grailed and StockX have responded by announcing that they too will be donating a sum of money to HELP USA through sales of the style. 

Writing on its website, Grailed said, “We've been listening closely to our community's feedback regarding this unique Supreme release. Grailed’s proceeds from all sales of the Takashi Murakami x Supreme Box Logo t-shirts will be donated directly back to HELP USA.” Similarly, StockX announced that it has too “pledged to donate proceeds from Supreme COVID-19 releif tees to charity.”

As coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the world, elsewhere, countless other fashion brands are also doing what they can to help during the crisis. This morning, Palace debuted a capsule collection of tees and hoodies, with all profits going to the NHS, while a number of luxury houses have been donating money and repurposing their factories to help create medical equipment and garments for those on the frontline. 

To read how fashion is helping during this time, click here and look back on Supreme’s recently released My Bloody Valentine collection below.