Supreme and Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks have teamed up for a new collection that dives into the cultural footprint of Lee’s films. Known for pushing narratives centered on Black life in America, Lee began his journey in 1986 with She’s Gotta Have It, a film shot in Brooklyn in just two weeks. The director, born in Atlanta and raised in Brooklyn, carved his name into American cinema with titles like Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, and BlacKkKlansman, the latter earning him an Oscar in 2019.
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From the very beginning, Lee tackled layered subjects, racism, identity, activism, through sharp storytelling and bold visuals. His body of work spans more than 30 films and remains deeply tied to both community and context, exploring relationships, resistance, and the dynamics of Black life in urban America.
In 1979, Lee partnered with Monty Ross to launch 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. More than just a production label, 40 Acres became an engine behind Lee’s full catalog, from feature films and documentaries to music videos and commercials. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Lee’s work included collaborations with major brands, like his Air Jordan ads and Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” video, both of which have left a lasting imprint.
By the early ’90s, 40 Acres expanded beyond film. Lee opened Spike’s Joint, a retail store in Fort Greene, followed by outposts in Los Angeles. These spaces served as hubs for 40 Acres apparel, including T-shirts, jackets, and the now-iconic X cap, a reference to Lee’s 1992 Malcolm X biopic starring Denzel Washington.
The new collaboration channels Lee’s signature visuals and messages into a five-piece capsule, drawing directly from his films Malcolm X and Clockers. The collection features a varsity jacket, baseball jersey, two graphic T-shirts, and a six-panel cap. Each item serves as both apparel and archive, offering a wearable take on Lee’s cultural references.
The standout varsity jacket comes stamped with a 40 Acres patch and Supreme logo on the chest. On the back, a large X marks a powerful reference to Malcolm X, bridging film iconography with streetwear. The baseball jersey follows suit, adding a player-style twist with “Supreme” and “40” stitched across the back.
The T-shirts layer more personal visuals onto the collection. One of them features an image of Lee behind the lens, nodding to his legacy as a director who always kept control of the narrative. Another shirt repeats the “X” motif, reinforcing the impact of the Malcolm X film within his career and public discourse.
To round out the offering, the six-panel hat draws from Clockers, Lee’s 1995 film centered on crime, loyalty, and survival in Brooklyn. The cap integrates visual cues from the movie, providing a subtler entry point into the capsule.
Set to release on April 24th, with availability in Asia on April 26th, this collaboration reintroduces the essence of Spike Lee’s visual language through Supreme’s lens. The pieces feel grounded in something beyond fashion trends, reflecting Lee’s sharp cultural vision and Supreme’s ability to distill stories into threads.
