Professional skateboarder Tyshawn Jones filed a $26 million lawsuit against Supreme on May 12, 2025, in New York County Supreme Court, alleging the streetwear brand wrongfully terminated his $1-million-a-year sponsorship 15 months early and then told others in the industry he had been fired for misconduct. The Tyshawn Jones lawsuit against Supreme pairs a breach of contract claim with a defamation claim, and the defamation piece accounts for most of the money at stake.1New York Post. Top Skater Sues Major Brand for $26 Million2Trellis Law. Grind Hard Holdings Corp. Tyshawn Jones v. Chapter 4 Corp. Doing Business as Supreme
The Deal Jones Says Was Cut Short
Jones was Supreme’s first paid skater, joining the brand around age 12 or 13 for $500 a month. By 2024 his contract had grown to $83,333.33 a month, or $1 million a year, and was set to run through December 2025. It included stock options in the company. The deal required Jones to wear Supreme apparel exclusively, every day, across nearly every category from outerwear to underwear.3Hypebeast. Tyshawn Jones Paid $84K USD Per Month by Supreme4Sole Retriever. Tyshawn Jones Sues Supreme for $26 Million
Why Supreme Says It Fired Him
In September 2024, Supreme terminated the contract, citing a “material non-curable breach.” The alleged breach was an August 2024 photoshoot in which Jones wore a Superman sweater from a Marc Jacobs collaboration with the designer NIGO. Photographer Bolade Banjo later told Jones, during Paris Fashion Week in January 2025, that Supreme staff had pointed to those photos as the reason for the split.5Highsnobiety. Supreme Tyshawn Jones Lawsuit4Sole Retriever. Tyshawn Jones Sues Supreme for $26 Million
Why Jones Says the Sweater Was a Pretext
The complaint frames the wardrobe issue as cover for a financially motivated firing tied to the sale of Supreme. Supreme’s termination came roughly one month before EssilorLuxottica completed its $1.5 billion acquisition of the brand from VF Corporation on October 2, 2024.6EssilorLuxottica. Acquisition of Supreme From VF Corporation Jones alleges Supreme wanted to free up capital and balance its books ahead of a sale that represented a roughly $600 million loss for VF, and that ending his deal before closing prevented his stock options from vesting, since vesting required him to be employed at the time of the sale.4Sole Retriever. Tyshawn Jones Sues Supreme for $26 Million
Jones also argues the exclusivity theory does not hold up against the parties’ history. His complaint says Supreme’s senior executives knew about and encouraged his modeling work for Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co., and told him they had no problem with it so long as it was not for another skateboarding brand.7Complex. Tyshawn Jones Sues Supreme, Claims Brand Destroyed His Career5Highsnobiety. Supreme Tyshawn Jones Lawsuit
On top of that, the complaint says Supreme skipped the contract’s own exit procedure. Jones alleges the agreement required 30 days’ notice and an opportunity to cure any alleged breach before termination, and contained no provision for immediate termination by either party. Supreme, according to the filing, gave neither the notice nor the cure period.4Sole Retriever. Tyshawn Jones Sues Supreme for $26 Million
The Defamation Claim
Jones alleges Supreme founder James Jebbia and other staff told people in the industry that Jones had been removed from the skate team for “breach of contract” and “misconduct.” According to the complaint, those statements prevented him from securing new work and effectively blacklisted him from other partnerships. Jones calls the statements false and malicious, pointing again to the years of modeling work Supreme had approved.5Highsnobiety. Supreme Tyshawn Jones Lawsuit8Yahoo Sports. Professional Skater Tyshawn Jones Reveals Lawsuit Details
How the $26 Million Breaks Down
The lawsuit, filed through Jones’s company Grind Hard Holdings Corp. against Chapter 4 Corp., the entity that operates as Supreme, seeks at least $1.25 million in unpaid endorsement fees for the remainder of the contract. The larger $25 million figure is tied to the defamation claim and what the complaint describes as Supreme’s “wanton and egregious conduct” in damaging Jones’s reputation and future earning potential. Jones also asks for punitive damages. The lost stock options are cited as a motive for the firing but do not carry a separate dollar figure in the publicly available filings.1New York Post. Top Skater Sues Major Brand for $26 Million4Sole Retriever. Tyshawn Jones Sues Supreme for $26 Million
Supreme’s Response and Case Status
In August 2025, Supreme filed a motion to dismiss. The brand argued that apparel exclusivity was the “sine qua non” of the agreement and called the Marc Jacobs ad, which featured NIGO’s reimagining of a 1990s sweater, a clear violation of the contract’s terms. Supreme submitted the contract itself as evidence, pointing to the specific obligation to wear Supreme-branded shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, button-downs, sweaters, jackets, pants, and underwear on a daily basis in exchange for the monthly payments.9GQ. Tyshawn Jones GQ Hype
The case is assigned to Judge Emily Morales-Minerva in New York County Supreme Court. As of the available reporting, the motion to dismiss remains pending, with no trial date, settlement, or further rulings publicly reported.2Trellis Law. Grind Hard Holdings Corp. Tyshawn Jones v. Chapter 4 Corp. Doing Business as Supreme