A$AP Mob is an American hip-hop collective of rappers, record producers, music video directors, and fashion designers formed in 2006 in Harlem, New York. It consisted of members A$AP Yams, A$AP Bari, and A$AP Illz.
Beyond their career in music, the collective also had a passion for fashion, style, and art. This led them to the creation of Vlone, a streetwear clothing brand embodying everything the collective represented.
Over the years, the brand quickly gained traction and has become easily recognizable as the streetwear brand with the bright orange V.
About Vlone
Vlone was founded in 2013 by A$AP Bari, a member of the renowned rap collective A$AP Mob, and was co-founded by A$AP Rocky and Edison Chen of the brand CLOT. Bari had the vision to create a brand that celebrated individuality, creativity, and self-expression, inspired by the freestyle culture of Harlem, where the A$AP Mob was formed.
Vlone was first sold on the streets of Harlem, where the brand originated. However, it quickly gained traction due to its daring designs and high-quality products.
At first, the brand’s main source of advertising was simply through the A$AP Mob wearing and promoting the brand’s clothing on the streets of Harlem.
In its early days, Vlone primarily sold merchandise through its online shop and occasional pop-up shops, with little promotion needed as items would quickly sell out due to high demand from the streetwear community.
Over the years, Vlone has collaborated with various brands and designers, including Playboi Carti, Juice Wrld, and NAV, enabling them to stay at the forefront of streetwear fashion.
One of Vlone’s first major pop-up events was held in Harlem during New York Fashion Week in February 2017, where they launched a collaboration with Nike on an Air Force 1 sneaker. This collaboration is what the brand said is responsible for propelling them into the mainstream.
From there, the partnerships only grew, and Vlone went on to pursue collaborations with other huge brands such as Off-White and Supreme. Alongside its collaborations, Vlone has expanded its product line to encompass a wide range of clothing and accessories, solidifying its position as a leading streetwear brand.
Vlone Today
Vlone had grown in popularity, and 2017 was a big year for the brand. That year they even planned a runway show for Paris Fashion Week in collaboration with Nike. However, in 2017, founder A$AP Bari was also met with some serious allegations, and by the end of 2022, the brand cut ties with him altogether.
Vlone officially relaunched on April 21, 2023, with a new collection titled “Brick by Brick”, signifying the brand’s attempt to rebuild itself. In addition to the clothing line itself, Vlone also began selling “STFO (Sold The F*ck Out) Brick” — a transparent orange brick meant to symbolize the brand’s rebuilding, priced at $1,234. Fredrick “SO” Hunter is now listed as the owner of Vlone, although not much is known about Hunter.
Currently, the relaunched website says it aims to “embrace distinctive creatives who defy the norm” as they rebuild the fashion house “one brick at a time”
The V Logo
Vlone is a relatively new brand, so the initial logo has not been changed much. However, the iconic brand can quickly be recognized for its most popular logo variation, the letter “V.” The word “Vlone” is a play on the word “alone”, representing the idea of “living alone” and “dying alone”.
The brand goes by the slogan “Live Vlone, Die Vlone,” encapsulating this philosophy of living and dying alone, without relying on others. The brand’s website explains, “Vlone stands alone, apart from anyone or anything.”
The brand claims it was never about one individual person, but rather the “V” is a stamp for creatives who don’t follow the rules of fashion and society and instead create their own rules and set their own trends.
The large “V” symbol is a stylized representation of the brand’s name. It serves as a recognizable icon for the Vlone brand and is often featured on the back of clothing items.
The Vlone logo and its various elements communicate a bold message of embracing solitude, independence, and being comfortable with standing out from the crowd.
While the logo’s meaning may seem provocative or controversial, it reflects the brand’s roots in the Harlem streetwear scene and the mindset of its founders, who valued individuality and self-expression above conformity.
The “Friends-” Logo
In addition to the iconic “V” logo, Volne has one other logo that is often associated with — the “Friends-” logo. According to A$AP Bari, one of the co-founders, the minus sign in the “Friends-” logo represents “zero” or “no friends”. It reinforces the concept that true individuality can only be achieved by embracing solitude and not relying on external validation from friends or others.
The “Friends-” logo is a bold statement that encourages embracing a life of independence and non-conformity, aligning with the initial core values behind the brand. It represents the idea of “living alone” and “dying alone”, which is the core mantra behind the Vlone brand name itself.
This logo has become an iconic symbol within Vlone’s product range, prominently featured on hoodies, t-shirts, pants, and jackets. The striking design has garnered significant attention and has cemented Vlone’s status as an influential streetwear brand.
The “Friends-” logo serves as a compelling reminder of Vlone’s commitment to embracing uniqueness and rejecting societal norms. It encourages individuals to forge their own path, free from the constraints of seeking approval from others.
The Vlone Logo
There is one other more common variation of the Vlone logo. For this logo, the brand name “Vlone” is spelled out. However the letters are separated as the “V” is a distinctly different color than the rest of the work. In most cases, the “V” is usually in bright red, and the rest of the work is either in white or black text.
Many variations of this logo have also appeared on the brand’s streetwear over the years, changing the colors of the different letters. What has remained the same is the “V” being a distinctly different color and the typeface resembling a more thin serif-like font instead of the usual more bulky graffiti-like style.
The Bright Orange
Orange has become a prominent and distinctive color in streetwear fashion, often used by brands to cultivate a bold, eye-catching aesthetic. Vlone popularized the use of a vibrant, signature orange shade across their apparel and branding, making it an instantly recognizable part of their brand identity.
The bold, high-visibility orange hue has a particular appeal for street wear as gives off a youthful, energetic, and rebellious spirit. Vlone isn’t the only streetwear brand that went for the orange aesthetic. Other popular brands, such as Off-White, have also released popular orange-colored pieces and collaborations that have helped cement orange as an iconic streetwear color.
While orange was once considered a loud or unconventional color choice, its adoption by influential streetwear labels has transformed it into a symbol of confidence and individuality within the culture. Orange’s eye-catching vibrancy makes it well-suited for graphics, logos, and statement pieces that allow streetwear brands to make a strong visual impact.
The bold orange color has emerged as a distinctive branding tool and aesthetic signature for major streetwear labels, representing the vibrant, daring, and individualistic spirit of the streetwear movement itself — the same ideals that were in the core ideas for creating the clone brand itself.
The Typeface
It’s not just the letter “V” that is associated with Vlone; its distinctive typeface is also a key element of the brand’s identity.
The Vlone logo features iconic graffiti-like style lettering, easily recognizable to fans and fashion enthusiasts.
This unique typeface, called “Bundy Yellow,” gives the logo its distinctive and edgy appearance.
Designed by Mad Mutt, the Bundy Yellow typeface plays a crucial role in conveying the bold, rebellious aesthetic that Vlone is known for, further cementing the brand’s place in streetwear culture.
What We Can Learn From The Vlone Logo
There are many lessons that can be learned from the Volne logo branding.
Creating A Recognizable Symbol
It is not every day that a brand can be quickly identified by one singular letter. While there are many brands that do have easily identifiable single-letter logo variations — such as McDonald’s, Adobe, Monster, Facebook, etc. — this can be hard to achieve.
The stylized “V” logo is a powerful example of how a simple, bold symbol can become iconic. This also has given the brand a lot of flexibility when it comes to their clothing designs. This symbol not only stands out visually but also encapsulates the brand’s philosophy.
A recognizable logo helps in building brand identity and loyalty. This type of branding allows consumers to easily identify and connect with the brand through its visual elements.
Strategic Color Use
Vlone’s is well known for its bright, signature orange shade across its apparel and branding. They are one of the most recognizable streetwear brands and decided to go with a color that both stood out and reflected that.
Orange is often considered a loud or unconventional color, but Vlone reworked the color into its branding and transformed the color into a symbol of confidence and individuality in the streetwear community.
Even in their clothing lines, where the designs required them to swap out the iconic orange color for something different, they still chose loud vibrant colors that allowed their symbol to pop no matter who was wearing it.
Vlone is a prime example of how strategic use of color can enhance a brand’s visibility and appeal, making it stand out in a crowded market.
Strong Theming
Vlone is a brand that has incorporated strong and consistent theming in everything that they do. Vlone was co-founded in by A$AP Bari, A$AP Rocky, and others from the A$AP Mob hip-hop collective in Harlem.
The theming has always been influenced by their local culture and music scene, combining street art themes with a dark, edgy aesthetic. The brand was founded to inspire others to stand apart from other people and other things and embrace their true selves and individuality. This theming has stayed strong in all of their different clothing lines and collaborations over the years.
While Vlone has multiple variations of its logo, it maintains consistency in its branding. The different logos all share common elements, such as color schemes and typography styles.
Consistency in branding helps maintain a strong and unified brand image, making it easier for consumers to recognize and remember the brand. It also helps them build connections with their fans and better customer loyalty.
Turning Adversity Into Opportunity
Vlone’s decision to cut ties with its controversial co-founder A$AP Bari and relaunch under new, mysterious leadership demonstrates the importance of making a clean break from negative associations. Instead of putting an end to the brand, they turned their misfortune into opportunity.
By distancing itself from Bari’s actions and embracing a “new era”, Vlone is attempting to rebuild its brand image and regain credibility. The “Brick by Brick” collection title and the inclusion of a transparent “STFO (Sold The F*ck Out) Brick” product highlight Vlone’s strategic use of symbolism to communicate its rebuilding efforts. These elements serve as visual metaphors, signaling the brand’s determination to reconstruct itself one step at a time.
Although Vlone has only been around for a little over a decade, it has undergone many changes. The brand stands as a prime example of how to create memorable branding and how to turn adversity into opportunity. Through strategic collaborations and innovative marketing tactics, the brand has solidified its place as a trendsetter in the fashion world.
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