Bill Strobeck's raw, street-level brand bringing together handpicked talent from NYC, Philly, and Paris with the distinctive gritty aesthetic that defined a generation of Supreme videos.
Violet Skateboards wasn't born from a business plan but emerged organically when legendary videographer Bill Strobeck found himself captivated by the kids skating Philadelphia's Muni Plaza while commuting between NYC and Philly. These skaters—reminiscent of characters from cult classic "River's Edge"—embodied something authentic that had become increasingly rare in skateboarding's hypercommercial landscape. Strobeck, whose distinctive fisheye lens and gritty, intimate filming style defined Supreme's groundbreaking videos like "cherry" (2014) and "BLESSED" (2018), recognized something special in this crew that transcended technical ability. After cementing his legacy through Supreme projects including "CANDYLAND," "STALLION," and "MIND GOBLIN," Strobeck's transition to brand founder represents skateboarding's natural progression—influential creators eventually fostering the next generation. Violet's team composition reads like a carefully curated art exhibition: Efron Danzig, Seven Strong, Kris Brown, Kyle Teh, Auguste Bouznad, Patrick O'Mara, and Troy Gipson—each bringing distinctive approaches to street skating while sharing the unfiltered authenticity Strobeck has always documented. Operating across skateboarding's modern capitals—NYC, Philadelphia, and Paris—Violet represents a connection between skateboarding's raw subcultural roots and its current position as a cultural force. Their boards reflect this same aesthetic sensibility, with graphics that communicate Strobeck's visual influences spanning decades of underground culture. In an industry increasingly focused on metrics and marketability, Violet offers something increasingly precious—skating that feels human, imperfect, and genuinely passionate rather than performed specifically for social validation.
