San Leandro, CA – Skate Industry News: Huf Still Pushes The Limits Of Fashion

Keith Hufnagel (January 21, 1974 – September 24, 2020) was an American skateboarding professional, entrepreneur, and fashion designer, the founder of the streetwear brand HUF.

Hufnagel began his skateboarding career in his teens in New York City, at the Brooklyn Banks, an expanse of steep brick slopes and staircases under the Brooklyn Bridge. He turned pro in California in 1993, first joining Fun Skateboards and then signing with Jim Thiebaud of Real Skateboards; he also skated for Thunder Trucks and Spitfire Wheels.

After living for a couple of years in Los Angeles, he opened the first HUF Worldwide store in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco in 2002 with his then wife, Anne Freeman, at her suggestion using the nickname he had already used on his skateboard decks and T-shirts. A pioneer of streetwear, it carried rare sneakers and clothing by Supreme and other boutique fashion houses, and also art by other skateboarders and artists such as Aaron Rose and Haroshi. The boutique expanded into a chain based in Los Angeles and with stores in Texas, New York, and several in Japan, and by 2007 to a lifestyle brand, selling activewear labeled with an “H” plus in some cases an irreverent collection motto such as “Dirtbag Crew” or “F*ck It”. A sculpture by Haroshi of a raised middle finger, in the company’s Los Angeles store, was destroyed in the protests following George Floyd’s murder by police; Hufnagel responded by producing a T-shirt to benefit the Black Lives Matter movement.

HUF products included limited-edition apparel related to bands, cartoon characters, and brands. Hufnagel himself, one of the first skaters to have a shoe with his name on it, from his sponsor DVS, also designed limited-edition shoes including the Nike Dunks and the Nike Air Max 90 HUFquakes. HUF footwear included the Classic and a controversial signature shoe for the late Dylan Rieder.

In late 2017, Hufnagel sold the HUF brand to TSI Holdings; Eddie Miyoshi became CEO the following year. In 2019 Hufnagel decided to focus on apparel, producing shoes only in collaboration with other brands, but scrapped the collections in 2019. Hufnagel skated for the HUF Worldwide team. His career was featured in a three-part series on the Vice Media show Epicly Later’d. His team and brand continues his legacy today. Check out their latest vide on the Thrasher Youtube channel where they take the team to Brazil!

Now based in Los Angeles, HUF has become one of the most respected and pioneering skate and lifestyle brands worldwide. Collaborating with artists, designers, photographers, musicians, and unconventional tastemakers, it’s also a home to a collective of eclectic skateboarders and ambassadors. HUF represents the progressive vision that has driven Hufnagel since day one. It is renowned for its clean aesthetic, provocative designs, and quality craftsmanship. For over 15 years, HUF has been dedicated to pushing the culture forward, by refusing to conform to it. Build. Destroy. Rebuild.

His team and brand continues his legacy today. Check out their latest video on the Thrasher Youtube channel where they take the team to Brazil!