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. [1] . It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suit collection, eyewear, belts, fragrances, and shoes.
FUBU started with four friends who grew up in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens in New York. The friends — future Shark Tank star Daymond John along with J. Alexander Martin, Keith Perrin, and Carlton Brown — created the company after seeing a need for Black-owned sportswear in the mass markets.
Four friends from Hollis, Queens made their mark on the fashion world in a major way in 1992, when they launched FUBU, a sportswear brand inspired by hip-hop culture.
We chronicle the rise and fall of hip-hop's quintessential '90s brand, "for us, by us," aka FUBU, for a hard-earned story of business and branding.
The Rise and Fall of FUBU :: A Lesson in Business and Branding
One such icon is FUBU, an acronym for “For Us, By Us.” More than just a clothing line, FUBU represented a powerful statement of self-determination, community, and entrepreneurial spirit within the burgeoning hip-hop culture of the 1990s.
In 1992, in Hollis, Queens, New York City, they set out to establish a clothing brand that would resonate deeply with urban culture. They wanted something that reflected the spirit of hip-hop, and that's exactly what FUBU, which stands for "For Us By Us," aimed to achieve.
HELLO BEAUTIFUL: FUBU Is Trending After Twitter User Asks If We Knew It Means 'For Us By Us'