But Mr. Babenzien says his stuff is more authentic. Rather than being produced in China from inexpensive materials, he wants his items to be higher quality.

He points to a pair of corduroy shorts made in England ($228) and a rain-resistant anorak with a wool lining made in Italy ($448). “I buy from those places because I know the people are being treated well,” he said.

Mr. Babenzien has been in streetwear since 1994, when he moved to Miami to help his friend Don Busweiler with Pervert, an influential streetwear brand that Mr. Busweiler abandoned in 1995, along with all his possessions, when he joined a cult called the Brethren.

Mr. Babenzien moved to New York and immersed himself in the skate scene. His Pervert experience helped land him a job at Supreme in 1996.