You’ve probably noticed the humble yellow Smiley face making a resurgence lately. The OG emoji has begun showing up on everything from basketballs and rugs to watches and ping pong tables, and we’ve got one person to thank: Mike Cherman. The veteran streetwear designer has brought back the 70s icon in a big way with his brand Chinatown Market – but it’s not all smiles when it comes to this newly established American label.
Chinatown Market was founded by Mike Cherman
First things first: Chinatown Market is far from Cherman’s first foray into fashion. In 2014, at the young age of 24, Cherman had already made a name for himself with his previous endeavour, ICNY, and even managed to secure himself a spot in that year’s HYPEBEAST 100. Surprisingly that was just the tip of the iceberg as far as Cherman’s early fashion contributions are concerned, with most of his work and influence going down in secret behind the scenes – although we have Cherman to thank for much of KITH’s branding, including the box logo and ‘Just Us’ designs, to name a few. Still, while ICNY was, without question, a streetwear success born from a need for innovation, it didn’t have a happy ending, at least for Cherman. Put simply, in Cherman’s words, he got ‘fucked’ by an investor and ultimately lost control of the brand he had started from scratch.
With such a bitter ending to, what seemed like, a fashion-industry fairytale, it’s no wonder Cherman went looking for a reason to smile when he returned to the market with his next venture: Chinatown Market. The brand launch in late 2016, and was pitched as seeking to capture the charm of New York’s famous – or, depending on your perspective, infamous – Canal Street shopping district. The brand’s debut collection comprised of bootleg pop culture references, along with nods to its NYC inspiration and consumer culture, including the brand’s now signature use of the classic trademark Smiley face logo, as inspired by its use on shopping bags throughout the city.
Mike Cherman | Photography by Graham Walzer
While it’s unsure if Cherman had intended for the Smiley logo to become the brand’s signature, he certainly hasn’t hesitated to capitalise on it. In addition to apparel, the logo is routinely utilised for the brand’s eccentric line of accessories – each and every one an official collaboration with the rights holders of the classic design, The Smiley Company.
In the current hype-fuelled streetwear market, unusual accessories might be what scores a brand headlines, but Chinatown Market’s key focus remains its apparel – and, in this department, it has one significant advantage over the competition: speed. Chinatown Market prides itself on being rapidly reactive to trends and events as they happen and evolve. They are, in essence, able to come up with an idea in the morning, put it online by the afternoon, and start shipping orders out the very next day. This is due to items like tees being created in-house at the brand’s Los Angeles HQ, negating the standard months-long wait that plagues overseas manufacturing.
Where brands like Supreme have maintained tight-knit distribution, exclusively through their own retail channels, Cherman has instead chosen to embrace wide-reaching retail support for Chinatown Market to its full potential. He is openly against the kinds of hyper-exclusive drops that have become the norm for brands like Supreme – which are purposefully intended to leave all but a lucky few empty handed – and is instead about creating a sense of community amongst the label’s fans. It’s a mindset we here at Foot District are fully in support of, which is why you’ll always find the latest Chinatown Market drops in store and online.
So, the next time you’re stressing about a super-limited drop, consider whether the juice is really worth the squeeze. Just because your wardrobe is a stunning example of short supply and high demand, doesn’t mean your quality of life is going to be any better. Sharing is caring and Chinatown Market’s got your back. After all: don’t worry, be happy!