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Triple5Soul Timeline (Scraped)

1989: 

  • 555-Soul is born at 151 Ludlow Street, NYC
  • Original hand-sewn hoodies and velour suits
  • Backyard dancehall parties with Ki-Om Hi-Fi sound system
  • Paper Magazine runs first editorial ever
  • Alyasha, then premier skater for Shut Skates, designs the Roman-numeral 555, Triple 5's first label/logo

1990:

  • First 555 ad runs in Paper Magazine (a full black-and-white page split into quarters shared with GFS (Futura, Stash, Gerb) and other peers
  • Fab 5 Freddy visits the store for a feature on Yo! MTV Raps
  • Toscani photographs the early Triple 5 Tribe for Benetton's first issue of Colors
  • Famed graffiti crews TC5 and PNB keep the storefront dipped with new pieces every month
  • L.L. Cool J rocks a grey velour tracksuit in 555's first music video appearance
  • Other streetwear companies begin paying secret “research” visits to the shop 

1991: 

  • 555 exhibits at underground artist trade show 432F
  • 555 Tie-hats and Philly Blunt skullies sold at the first New Music Seminar ever
  • First fashion shows, held in conjunction with Paper Magazine, at Palace de Beautee and nightclub The Building
  • 555 sold at Patricia Fields
  • Triple 5 influences high fashion as Paul Smith shoots the shop's exterior and couture designer Christian Le Croix drops in for a visit... 

1992:

  • Triple 5 established itself as a proper retail business
  • Ssur's Russell K. designs the famous "5 Deadly Venoms" tee
  • Slick Rick drops by the shop for a visit.
  • LA shop established
  • Triple 5 throws parties on the West Coast with Giant Step, Straight No Chaser and Fresh Jive 

1993:

  • Camella moves out of the shop and into an apartment (the space was both live/work since its birth)
  • “Strictly for the Ladies”, 555's sexy and exclusive women's boutique opens next door to the original location
  • London shop opens in trendy Camden Town, shares space with “Deep Freeze” (one of London's first 2-Step/Jungle deejay shops)
  • 555 starts selling underground mixtapes and other designers' clothing (including early PNB Nation and GFS)
  • River Phoenix spread in Paper Magazine

1994: 

  • First international sales (kids take boxes of 555 gear back to Japan, UK, Germany and Paris on the regular)
  • 555 carried by Soho's tastemaker shop Union
  • 555 makes Wool Cargo pants 

1995: 

  • 555 receives an overflow of requests for photoshoots and press
  • Office/studio/warehouse established on Mott Street
  • The shop gets a true staff 

1996:

  • Overwhelming local and Japanese wholesale business create need to move out of the original shop
  • 555 makes first denim line, as well as jean-patterned cords and twills.. 

1997:

  • 555 moves from the Lower East Side to up-and-coming Lafayette Street
  • Tee-shirt line expanded with the help of artists like Jeff Ng, Ssur and Stash
  • Men's and ladies' lines evolve, becoming more wearable and utilitarian 

1998: 

  • Partnership forged with present-day President Troy Morehouse
  • 555 becomes Triple 5 and moves headquarters to Williamsburg
  • First time having/showing samples ahead of season; shown at Magic in Las Vegas
  • First designer hired and first line of accessories created
  • Shibuya shop launched with performances by Stretch Armstrong, Tony Touch and Crazy Legs
  • Triple 5 goes online and shows entire collection on the now-defunct Platform.net 

1999:

  • Tokyo ladies' shop opens, as does Fukuoka store
  • Famous Backpack Chair designed
  • His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks to NYC in Central Park
  • Mos Def hooks up with Triple 5 Soul for first proper advertising campaign
  • T5 Skate team established
  • D'Angelo plays acoustic set at Triple 5's X-Mas bash 

2000: 

  • Triple 5 moves to present Williamsburg headquarters
  • Hong Kong store opens
  • Deejay bags made with Rawkus records
  • Staff expands to 25
  • T5 participates in the Warped Tour
  • T5 partners with Giant Step to bring Kruder and Dorfmeister to NYC's The Roxy 

2001:

  • Launch of "Define Your Soul" campaign
  • Triple 5 Soul sponsors its first Winter Music Conference event
  • Ad campaign expands to art, fashion, music and skate magazines
  • Williamsburg headquarters featured in Interior Design Magazine
  • Partnership with RES Fest helps escort in the age of digital filmmaking

2002:

  • Triple 5 makes gear for Breakbeat Science
  • New rolling DJ Case revealed
  • Partnership helps bring Scratch, the first full-length documentary on turntablism to the world
  • Special line designed for Mos Def
  • NYC retail headquarters is expanded and remodeled into an events space and gallery

2003: 

  • In its second year, T5S event FUTURE reformats the entire Winter Music Conference standard with a seminal line up of groundbreaking artists.
  • Triple Five Soul releases early and very limited edition version of Yesterday’s New Quintet’s STEVIE homage. Copies fetching over $100.00 appear on EBAY instantly.
  • The artist collaborative VS. PROJECT grows and hosts hit shows by UK’s own BANKSY.
  • T5 family continues growing, with featured sponsored artists Blackalicious, King Britt, El P, Peanut Butter Wolf, Charlie Dark, Reid Speed, Dwele and Jean Grae. 

2004:

  • T5S reclaims the traditional blazer in the name of progressive street fashion.
  • Premium T5S premium footwear line designed for release in 2005.
  • International popularity spreads as T5S grows in Europe and Asia.
  • T5S beats out Stussy, Vice and Nom de Guerre to win Time Out’s BEST STREETWEAR SHOPPING award.
  • The Ludlow Residency, a grassroots program designed to support up-and-coming designers get started, is begun with the help of Cotton Inc.
  • T5 Soul Sessions, a limited edition mixtape series devoted to giving respected deejays and producers total free expression, premiers with an insane blend of Spanish/Brasilian rare groove and personal dubplates from Prefuse 73.
  • UK streetwear brand Boxfresh and Triple Five Soul team up to act as one another’s US/UK brand ambassadors. 

2005:

  • T5 SOUL SESSIONS series continues to gain underground popularity with mixes by Hollertronix and Waajeed.
  • T5S rules Winter Music Conference with an unforgettable line up including exclusive performances by M.I.A., Sa-Ra, Hollertronix, Peanut Butter Wolf, Craze, and A-Trak.
  • T5S kicks off year one of the annual T5 SOUL SESSIONS tour with parties and in-stores in NYC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Las Vegas.
  • THE VS PROJECT grows to include 555 pairs of limited edition, artist-collaborative footwear, beginning with Maya Hayuk.
  • SOUL REVIVAL interactive contest to bring back favorite old-school T5S pieces launched.
  • Turntable Lab and T5S team up with Red Five to bring collaborative monthly TRIPLE LAB MILK San Francisco monthly session.
  • Muse and Redtoenails join T5S as 05 Ludlow Residents. 
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