Hood By Air
United States
Hood By Air (HBA) is a New York streetwear and fashion label founded in 2006 by Shayne Oliver and Raul Lopez. It describes an independent path after a spell within New Guards Group, and relaunched in 2021 after a hiatus. It matters as an early reference point for luxury streetwear and gender-neutral design.
| Founded | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Shayne Oliver and Raul Lopez |
| Based in | New York City, United States |
| Ownership | Independent (as described in 2021) |
| Segment | Streetwear and youth culture |
What is Hood By Air?
Hood By Air is a fashion and streetwear brand based in New York City. It is known for what is often called luxury streetwear, gender-neutral designs, logo-driven graphics and performance-led runway shows.
History
The label was founded in 2006 by Shayne Oliver and Raul Lopez; Lopez left in 2009. Leilah Weinraub joined in 2012 as CEO and cofounder, and Edison Chen later took over as CEO. The company refused outside investment, and from 2014 to 2016 it was part of New Guards Group before returning to New York. In April 2017 Oliver announced a pause to take a role at Helmut Lang. Sources differ on the end date of the hiatus, giving 2019 or 2020. The brand announced its return in July 2020 and fully relaunched in March 2021 with a campaign featuring Naomi Campbell. By 2021 it was described as an independent entity run by a board that included Oliver, who left his design role in 2023 but remains a partner.
Recognition
HBA received the LVMH Special Prize in 2014 and the CFDA Swarovski Award for Menswear in 2015.
Products and positioning
The brand sits between streetwear and designer fashion, with a visual language built on graphic logos and gender-fluid silhouettes. Public sources consulted do not give current distribution details, so none are stated here.
Why it matters
Hood By Air is cited as one of the labels that helped bring streetwear into the runway calendar and the luxury conversation. Its stop-start history also illustrates the pressures independent labels face when scaling.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Hood By Air?
Hood By Air was founded in 2006 by Shayne Oliver and Raul Lopez. Lopez left in 2009, and Oliver stepped back from his design role in 2023 while remaining a partner.
Is Hood By Air a luxury brand?
It is usually described as luxury streetwear. It showed on the runway, won the LVMH Special Prize in 2014 and positions itself between streetwear and designer fashion.