Stüssy

So like any other normal American kid growing up in the 90s/early 2000s, I knew how to draw the Stussy S in all of my notebooks, knowing nothing except it was some skate brand. Cool. Nobody I knew (grew up in a upper middle class/white part of SoCal) really loved or wore Stussy like other brands of the day (i.e. big skate/surf brands that are still known today), but I have obviously seen the occasional stussy shirt here or there. If you told me it was became some marshalls brand, I wouldn't have known the difference.

It wasn't until I went to Honolulu last year and saw the Stussy Honolulu Chapter shirt EVERYWHERE. During that trip I realized that the chapter shirts (i.e. store locations shirts) have some appeal for tourists - almost like Planet Hollywood shirts from yesteryear.

Now, I just got back from East Asia (China, Japan, Korea) where I obviously saw Stussy shirts even more. I decided that I want to try to nab a Stussy Tokyo shirt, figured it would be good keepsake from my trip - only to learn that the stores only stock the Chapter shirts a couple times a year?? And they sell out instantly and you have to wait in a long line to get them? (I also found out that you can get them during their outlet sale in OC?). They're just regular print t-shirts.

Looking online, Stussy is still alive and well and selling all kinds of 50 dollar print t shirts and $160 flannels, and $225 outwear jackets? It seems like the brand has now adopted more of a high end street wear, even though it originated in more the skate/punk scenes? I don't understand this brand at all. Can r/mfa help understand what Stussy is - who buys them, what's their market and why can't I get a normal print t shirt when I go to one of their stores in another country?