What Happened To Akademiks Clothing: Rise And Fall Of A Streetwear Brand

How many remember Akademiks? Akademiks is one of the brands that came to promanace in the early days of streetwear, before it as was widespread and well respected as it is today.
Akademiks helped forge a lane that many other brands would later follow, in the effort of creating a fashion genra now beloved the world over. They managed to build quiet the following on their quest to create a brand that both looked good, and was accessible to a demographic who wasn't able to afford some of the more expensive pieces of the legacy brands.
But over the years, Akademiks has faded into obscurity, ever wonder why? Well, let's find out. I'm Nate the Great from Takeflight214.com and this is "The Threads of Influence: The unraveling of Akademiks Clothing.
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If you liked this video then you should check out the others in our Rise and Fall Of A Streetwear Brand Series:
What Happened To Crooks and Castles:
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Happened To Alife:
www.youtube.co....
What Happened To Diamond Supply Co. :
www.youtube.co....
What Happened To Billionaire Boys Club/Icecream :
www.youtube.co....

[@NewAgeBarbarian]

If the owners were savvy they'd sue DJ Akademiks 😆

[@LeShunMarquette]

I have brand new Akademiks jean suits right now!

[@thoughtsprovoked5413]

I used to love that brand and style. We need to bring that back

[@roemello1985]

Shit I still wear it

[@Future-Classic-Comics]

Baggy clothes are back in fashion.

[@AntLive-lu5qx]

I wore Akademiks from ‘02 to’07, I loved their sweatsuits and their jeans!!!

[@nbarealtalker]

I wore this stuff in high school in the 2000s. Very baggy but pretty comfy.

[@JF.90]

bro i still have my Akademiks bomber from high school i love it. 15 years old or more. brand was top notch

[@kennethsullivan9217]

Wind up picking up an akademiks camo hoodie,,, just recently,,,, and a few sweatpants,,,,(comfortable) (Urban look) 💯👍

[@joelashadali]

It took a lil bit for it to really hit in my stores in Philly ....I remember it's first release graphics were soldiers...kinda comic book style . It blew up soon after. They definitely were ahead with stash house. All these lines died exactly for the same reason over saturation.

[@ACGreenTV]

Akademiks was 🔥 when I was a kid. Donwan Harrell own PRPS (P.R.P.S.) it means Purpose. We called it P-R-Pz. He owns a new brand called Art Meets Chaos. Nice work on the video. You should make a video on Hell Star.

[@psychwardfare]

Yeah definitely gotta do a hellstar vid and vertebrae would be cool

[@DJNAMMYWAMS]

excellent documentary ! Im not sure you know but this brand became really popular in the UK too especially within the grime (artists like dizzee rascal/skepta) scene. i really wish they brought back their old line - i really loved the way they stitched patterns on their tracksuits plus how the hoodies had toggles/cinches. side point - do you know anything about the brand lot29? they also became really popular in the uk too

[@uncutunderground]

Akademiks had cut and sew on lock

[@jason........]

today i got a 5xl akademiks shirt at my local burlington. for $6 ! so cool!

[@DippedInInk]

Oh wow I gave this as a suggestion and days later this drops. Good lookin. I had a friend who worked for them. Great stuff. Ive seen a lot of mock up's who didn't make the Final Cut but were amazing.

[@hendrx]

They got me feeling like I'm Akademiks

[@aliadam1000]

It was one of my best brands 2024

[@hsucharlie6650]

Still got some, bought it when I was in senior high, now I’m 32 😂

[@Future-Classic-Comics]

The early 00's bought colour to baggy clothes, mostly black/dark colours were fashionable during the 90's, I remember Avirex, Ecko, Evisu, School of hard knocks, lot 21, FUBU, Schott, all fashionable when i was school here in London England. Now here in Europe, fortunately over sized tee's and baggy jeans, are back in fashion! And skinny jeans are out!

[@NY_ACE]

I had multiple akademiks fits when I was high school.. Dope brand

[@biscaynesupercars]

Akademiks had 🔥 jeans and designs in the early 2000s

[@kaushyn]

less b roll to edit and more examples of whats being discussed

[@robleeg]

I have their coats. Tryna buy more from them. I love supporting my own.

[@bigspeedy6081]

I went crazy at Citi Trends

[@takeflight2142]

Me too, I had a rotation of all the Ross, Burlington and Citi trends within a 20 mile radius back in the day 😂

[@bigspeedy6081]

@@takeflight2142 Brodie 😎 well said me to 2000s was a good year I remember those and u named just about all of that’s what’s up 💯💯🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@truthreignsforever9286]

After watching this channel and numerous videos on streetwear, I think streetwear is one of the most feeble “come n go” crazes that only last for a while. From Ecko to Obey, to Fubu, Stussy to Sean Jean etc…. It seems if you want to build a brand of street wear, it’d be best to accept that you’ll probably only gonna have a decade of real high profits? If you can accept this, then I’d say go for it. But if you look at other major shoe brands, they’ve been around for decades upon decades and are still burning bright with profits while street wear labels are coming and going every decade. Great videos, you’re teaching me a lot of insight. Thank you. No disrespect to streetwear, but if you look at facts, it’s a short lived craze.

[@takeflight2142]

I see ur point, though there is brands like stussy and supreme still printing money, there have been tons who fell off. I think it had some to do with the creators not so much being business guys and the fickle nature that sometimes seems baked in. I think there is a path to longevity but it’s not traveled by many brands. The big 3 shoe companies are different, they cemented themselves early and have now become an institution, muscling out new comers. It’s interesting though, doing the series has made me question why most streetwear brands fall off. It seems to come down to most of them being happy with getting rich and not so much focusing on building a lasting brand.

[@beachcity562]

😮 i definitely fan i prefer stash house

[@BabyMiloo]

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@robleeg]

Is it still black owned?

[@takeflight2142]

Yeah as far as I could find out they still own the brand.

[@taymosley1528]

To 2024 I’m shopping in JCPenney looking around and seeing a dope ass akademics sweatsuit. I had to copy I’m 37this was major back in my high school days and I can never get oneLol

[@rickjames3257]

Wow I have a button up shirt! 😁

[@Shadow_the_evil_hedgehog]

Why do people want to drag others or spread their business for me personally I hope and pray they come back it's not over yet the children will come behind them

[@blacksun967]

spot on with Akademiks and LRG being under the same umbrella of the backpacker attire, both had that similar quality to their pieces, glad I still got their Jeanius hoodie that I’d rock with LRG’s Grass Roots jeans and some Timbs😎