Overview
FUBU is an American hip hop apparel company. FUBU stands for "For Us, By Us" and was created when the founders were brainstorming for a catchy four-letter word following other big brands such as Nike and Coke. It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suit collection, eyewear, belts, fragrances, and shoes.
History
The company was founded in 1992 when Daymond John mortgaged his home for $100,000, and with that seed money, the company's co-founders rebuilt half of his home as a factory while the other half remained living space. The clothing store Montego Bay, on Queens' Jamaica Avenue, was the first to carry the FUBU line. In the mid-1990s, high-end department store retailer Macy's started stocking FUBU apparel, at one point, featured the four FUBU founders in a live, interactive window display in its flagship store on 34th Street.
FUBU founders attended the MAGIC men’s apparel show in Las Vegas with samples and got $300,000 worth of orders, but had no idea how to fulfill them. John’s mother suggested they advertise in the New York Times for an investor. In 1995, South Korean company Samsung answered a classified ad and invested in FUBU.
At its peak in 1998, FUBU grossed over $350 million in annual worldwide sales. FUBU has received several honors for their entrepreneurial achievements. These include two Congressional Awards, two NAACP Awards, the Pratt Institute Award, the Christopher Wallace Award, the Online Hip-Hop Award and a Citation of Honor from the Queens Borough President.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).