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This Is Not a T-Shirt: A Brand, a Culture, a Community--a Life in Streetwear
The story of The Hundreds and the precepts that made it an iconic streetwear brand by Bobby Hundreds himself
Streetwear exists in that rarefied space where genuine “cool” coexists with big business; where a star designer might work simultaneously with Nike, a tattoo artist, Louis Vuitton, and a skateboard company. It’s the ubiquitous style of dress comprising hoodies, sneakers, and T-shirts that is worn by everyone from rappers to models to book editors. In the beginning, a few brands defined this style; fewer still survived as streetwear went mainstream. They are the OGs, the “heritage brands.” The Hundreds is one of those companies, and Bobby Hundreds is at the center of it all.
Bobby Kim, a.k.a. Bobby Hundreds, is the cofounder of international streetwear brand The Hundreds. The creative force behind the brand, he has emerged as one of streetwear’s most prominent faces and voices. But growing up as one of the only Asian American kids in a mostly white and Latino community, a year ahead of his peers, with artistic aspirations, he reminds us that The Hundreds was started by outsiders and that that is truly the story of streetwear culture.
In This Is Not a T-Shirt, Bobby Hundreds cements his spot as a champion of an industry he helped create, celebrating the inspirations that birthed The Hundreds—from his Southern California, punk-DIY-tinged youth to the brand’s explosive success. His story is both inspiring memoir and business book—an expert assessment of the history and future of streetwear and the tale of his commitment to a creative vision and to building real community.
Streetwear exists in that rarefied space where genuine “cool” coexists with big business; where a star designer might work simultaneously with Nike, a tattoo artist, Louis Vuitton, and a skateboard company. It’s the ubiquitous style of dress comprising hoodies, sneakers, and T-shirts that is worn by everyone from rappers to models to book editors. In the beginning, a few brands defined this style; fewer still survived as streetwear went mainstream. They are the OGs, the “heritage brands.” The Hundreds is one of those companies, and Bobby Hundreds is at the center of it all.
Bobby Kim, a.k.a. Bobby Hundreds, is the cofounder of international streetwear brand The Hundreds. The creative force behind the brand, he has emerged as one of streetwear’s most prominent faces and voices. But growing up as one of the only Asian American kids in a mostly white and Latino community, a year ahead of his peers, with artistic aspirations, he reminds us that The Hundreds was started by outsiders and that that is truly the story of streetwear culture.
In This Is Not a T-Shirt, Bobby Hundreds cements his spot as a champion of an industry he helped create, celebrating the inspirations that birthed The Hundreds—from his Southern California, punk-DIY-tinged youth to the brand’s explosive success. His story is both inspiring memoir and business book—an expert assessment of the history and future of streetwear and the tale of his commitment to a creative vision and to building real community.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2019
265 people are currently reading
2097 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 5, 2020
This was an interesting read, though it grated on me at times. I didn’t know much about streetwear and had never heard of The Hundreds, but I won this book in a giveaway and was intrigued.
Bobby and Ben have clearly built a great, well-loved brand. However, Bobby’s writing bugged me at times because it’s so gatekeeper-y. Very focused on paying your dues, knowing history, etc. He also loves to do a “back in my day” type thing where he rags on social media and explains how hard he had it in the early days of blogging. I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes.
The book had some solid lessons nonetheless. I think it would be most enjoyed by devoted fans of The Hundreds.
Bobby and Ben have clearly built a great, well-loved brand. However, Bobby’s writing bugged me at times because it’s so gatekeeper-y. Very focused on paying your dues, knowing history, etc. He also loves to do a “back in my day” type thing where he rags on social media and explains how hard he had it in the early days of blogging. I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes.
The book had some solid lessons nonetheless. I think it would be most enjoyed by devoted fans of The Hundreds.
August 30, 2019
Felt mostly self congratulatory.
April 5, 2020
Definitely a good and inspiring read. It’s nice to hear someone’s success story and the road to achieving their goals and the inside struggles and obstacles the brand and its founders faced. I agree that what worked for Bobby and his team in terms of business, marketing and strategy was circumstantial in terms of being relevant to his customers at that time. With social media being the main thing now it’s a very different game. Information is spread a lot quicker and easier and feedback on new products are instant. I definitely took something away from reading this and it is giving me a variation of a perspective on approaching my game plan for my brand. A must read for any other new start up whether it is street wear or high end couture- the spirit, hard work, determination and unique POV is what will carry you through. Cheers to a great read. Highly recommended!
kindle
June 25, 2019Wow! This memoir was so interesting! I never would have thought that streetwear had such an interesting backstory! This book was well written and so interesting!
March 1, 2021
The Hundreds is definitely one of those iconic streetwear brands, whose enduring legacy, over and above its incredible products, is the community it was able to build, and that it continues to support. Case in point, how an unassuming DM from Indian streetwear designer prxkhxr recently led to a collaboration and collection with The Hundreds. The reason I mention this recent collab is because Bobby Hundreds is true to his word about community being the most important aspect of his brand. I've read too many autobiographies where the authors cite values and ethics that they never live by on a daily basis. Bobby Hundreds is different, and knowing that makes reading this book even more pleasurable.
This book is an inside look into what it means to build a brand, and how inspiration and talent can only take you so far.... but grit and determination is what takes you over the finish line. I particulary enjoyed Bobby's take on his travels to Japan and Hong Kong, and how that has influenced and inspired the legacy of The Hundreds.
At times, however, the book did seem a bit too self-congratulatory. And I know its not even a valid criticism because they truly deserve all the praise and adulation... but as a reader it can sometimes feel a little too repetative.
However, all that said, if you are into streetwear, and want to learn about what it takes to build an enduring brand, I cannot recommend this book enough. I would even go as far as to recommend the audiobook, as listening to Bobby narrate his own story adds a little more to the overall experience of reading the book.
This book is an inside look into what it means to build a brand, and how inspiration and talent can only take you so far.... but grit and determination is what takes you over the finish line. I particulary enjoyed Bobby's take on his travels to Japan and Hong Kong, and how that has influenced and inspired the legacy of The Hundreds.
At times, however, the book did seem a bit too self-congratulatory. And I know its not even a valid criticism because they truly deserve all the praise and adulation... but as a reader it can sometimes feel a little too repetative.
However, all that said, if you are into streetwear, and want to learn about what it takes to build an enduring brand, I cannot recommend this book enough. I would even go as far as to recommend the audiobook, as listening to Bobby narrate his own story adds a little more to the overall experience of reading the book.
April 28, 2021
Overall, I enjoyed this book! It was super interesting to learn about the origins of streetwear and get insider insights on the skate/hardcore scene in the 90s. Bobby Hundreds is a knowledgable and passionate guy, and it shows in both his brand and this book. I appreciated the overall thesis, being that success came from his "community first" approach.
The one reason I couldn't give this 5 stars is it felt a bit self-aggrandizing at times. The dialogue was often a bit unbelievable in a way that favored Bobby/The Hundred's side. That being said, I would still encourage others to read this, especially those with an interest in streetwear! Just be prepared to approach some stories as myths in a sense.
The one reason I couldn't give this 5 stars is it felt a bit self-aggrandizing at times. The dialogue was often a bit unbelievable in a way that favored Bobby/The Hundred's side. That being said, I would still encourage others to read this, especially those with an interest in streetwear! Just be prepared to approach some stories as myths in a sense.
August 28, 2021
I loved the mini history of streetwear told in this book and seeing names of brands that I’m familiar with. I wasn’t big on the business sides of this book mainly because business isn’t my thing. However, I always enjoy a good and redeeming underdog story. There’s definitely some bits of inspiration in this book. Overall, cool book and really good writing!
December 8, 2020
Pretty much what’s to be expected. Bobby mentions supreme in almost every chapter and it sounds a lot like him reasoning with himself why he “sold out” or lost their cool factor while supreme became the leader of the pack. There’s also like 4 chapters of him talking about how much he hates the Adam bomb logo haha
There’s obviously some good info in here if you want to sift through the aforementioned. Learn from others mistakes and successes.
There’s obviously some good info in here if you want to sift through the aforementioned. Learn from others mistakes and successes.
November 15, 2020
The title of Bobby Kim’s book This Is Not a T-Shirt is an in-your-face piece that is not written as a traditional memoir. This piece subverts the expectations of the conventional memoir as it serves as a brand history or and a how-to-turn-a-dollar-into-a-dream narrative. This Is Not a T-Shirt memoir-esque style serves as a blueprint to the youth that are up-and-coming creatives and entrepreneurs trying to make their imprint in an industry occupied with saturation. Fans of The Hundreds, the name of Kim’s brand, will no doubt enjoy this book for its origin-story arc, recounting details both big (how the founders met at Loyola Law School) and small (how the brick-and-mortar store off of LA’s notorious Fairfax Avenue was funded by a particularly popular paisley hoodie). This Is Not a T-Shirt also serves readers with underlying themes of community and class struggles.
The idea of race and class shines during the moment in the book where the brand founders recall standing outside their trade-show booths where journalists and buyers would try to understand their brand. The journalists would ask, “Are you hip-hop or action sports?” Basically, the translation of that question, ‘Are you for black kids or white kids?’ This is where Ben and Kim would look at each other with animosity. Ben, of Iranian Jewish descent, and Kim, a Korean American kid who grew up thinking he was Latino. ‘Neither,’ We’d respond.” Streetwear is something that often has close ties to race and class. A brand like The Hundreds, is described as “a ghetto-rigged, two-bit science project, a couple wires short of a potato battery” and the book’s nonlinear, tension-building structure make it enjoyable even if you’re not familiar with the brand. Kim throughout this book exemplifies the importance of the role of community with The Hundreds and how it's the gears the power of the brand.
This book is perfect for anyone whether you’re trying to expand your brand as a streetwear business or even in your own personal life. This Is Not a T-Shirt that highlights the important aspects of community and how without it, you truly don’t have any leverage in business and life as you may know it. Kim spends a great deal letting his readers know that “community [is] the essence of not just streetwear but of any culture-based industry”. The ideologies behind the name, “The Hundreds”, stems from them being “backed by a global army”. Hence why they’re brand relies so heavy on the name because they’re a brand that relies on their “strength in numbers”, as Kim would mention while defining the brand.
What makes This Is Not a T-Shirt different than any memoir is its approach to the readers. The book was not written in a straight line, rather it’s all over the place which is similar to Kim and Ben's success story. How it makes itself stand out more than another memoir you’d find on the shelf is that it feels like this was written for the fans of the coveted streetwear brand. After reading some of the other reviews said about this piece, I found some of the people say how it feels “too proud” or how it “felt mostly self-congratulatory”. But wouldn’t you if you came from nothing to achieving global success with a brand that holds weight in the streets?
The idea of race and class shines during the moment in the book where the brand founders recall standing outside their trade-show booths where journalists and buyers would try to understand their brand. The journalists would ask, “Are you hip-hop or action sports?” Basically, the translation of that question, ‘Are you for black kids or white kids?’ This is where Ben and Kim would look at each other with animosity. Ben, of Iranian Jewish descent, and Kim, a Korean American kid who grew up thinking he was Latino. ‘Neither,’ We’d respond.” Streetwear is something that often has close ties to race and class. A brand like The Hundreds, is described as “a ghetto-rigged, two-bit science project, a couple wires short of a potato battery” and the book’s nonlinear, tension-building structure make it enjoyable even if you’re not familiar with the brand. Kim throughout this book exemplifies the importance of the role of community with The Hundreds and how it's the gears the power of the brand.
This book is perfect for anyone whether you’re trying to expand your brand as a streetwear business or even in your own personal life. This Is Not a T-Shirt that highlights the important aspects of community and how without it, you truly don’t have any leverage in business and life as you may know it. Kim spends a great deal letting his readers know that “community [is] the essence of not just streetwear but of any culture-based industry”. The ideologies behind the name, “The Hundreds”, stems from them being “backed by a global army”. Hence why they’re brand relies so heavy on the name because they’re a brand that relies on their “strength in numbers”, as Kim would mention while defining the brand.
What makes This Is Not a T-Shirt different than any memoir is its approach to the readers. The book was not written in a straight line, rather it’s all over the place which is similar to Kim and Ben's success story. How it makes itself stand out more than another memoir you’d find on the shelf is that it feels like this was written for the fans of the coveted streetwear brand. After reading some of the other reviews said about this piece, I found some of the people say how it feels “too proud” or how it “felt mostly self-congratulatory”. But wouldn’t you if you came from nothing to achieving global success with a brand that holds weight in the streets?
September 4, 2019
This book is a great read (especially if you want to know more about how building a brand isn’t easy). Very inspirational book in my opinion.
December 31, 2020
i didn’t grow up wearing the hundreds and i’m not some streetwear aficionado. i read this book bc a friend of mine recommended it to me and lent me his copy bc he thought i would enjoy it. i follow bobby on twitter and ig and always thought he seemed like a cool guy and appreciate how he’s used his platform to talk about social issues and what matters. i really enjoyed this book even though i wasn’t necessarily interested in the history and culture of streetwear. i loved how bobby talked about lack of representation in the media as an asian-american, the pros and cons of going mainstream, and most of all, people and purpose over profits. i find his insight on building a community and finding an identity both inspiring and informative in how brands should connect to their audience. a great book for the streetwear obsessed, those building a brand, or just anyone in the creative field.
January 22, 2020
“You shouldn’t care about earning their respect.You should be doing everything in your power to piss them off.”
A lot of self-pats on the back going around to last a lifetime but it still maintains a interesting outlook on streetwear : where it came from and where shall it go.
Bobby ‘Hundreds’ knows his craft and, even if he is not the best author, the story is good enough to carry it on.
Recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about streetwear and enterprising.
A lot of self-pats on the back going around to last a lifetime but it still maintains a interesting outlook on streetwear : where it came from and where shall it go.
Bobby ‘Hundreds’ knows his craft and, even if he is not the best author, the story is good enough to carry it on.
Recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about streetwear and enterprising.
January 6, 2021
This book brings you through the journey of The Hundreds, an enduring streetwear brand, and how they outlasted so many brands in their category.
Lessons from the crossroads of culture, community and fashion, and the importance of understanding the first two to create something long-lasting.
An interesting takeaway: the customer isn't always right; sometimes it is up to the brand to set the direction that they trust is best, even if the customer doesn't know it yet.
Lessons from the crossroads of culture, community and fashion, and the importance of understanding the first two to create something long-lasting.
An interesting takeaway: the customer isn't always right; sometimes it is up to the brand to set the direction that they trust is best, even if the customer doesn't know it yet.
January 13, 2025
Interesante pero un poco pesado de leer
January 11, 2020
Bobby Hundreds book This is Not a T-Shirt is a very inspiring book about both his and Bens (his business partner) process to reaching their goals and ambitions for their brand and streetwear in general. Starting from their first obstacles from printing the first 20 t-shirts, to making their biggest sales and collaborations. But most importantly he talks about his visions and values for streetwear and his contribution to the streetwear community as we know it today. Starting with only a few hundred dollars.
I would highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in starting their own brand, the history of streetwear or getting to know the value of community over money.
I would highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in starting their own brand, the history of streetwear or getting to know the value of community over money.
January 9, 2020
Phillip Stefoglo
Per. 5 english
Book review
The book This Is Not A T-Shirt by Bobby Hundreds( Bobby Kim ) is a book that is very easy to engage in and relate to. The book talks a lot about finding yourself and how long that may take for some of us as well as how unexpected things can become reality. I could relate to this book because Bobby Kims upbringing is similar to mine, furthermore his choice in career is something I would also like to do with my life. Another reason I especially liked this book is because of the timeline type of writing style, the book is written in. It takes you in detail through the emotion Bobby Kim went through and how he had to push through it all and do his best to stay positive in order to get to the position he's in now.
The book was about how Bobby Hundreds made such a successful well known streetwear brand and how he's survived the test of time no matter what struggles came at him. The book starts off giving some background and foreshadowing of what you can expect throughout the book. Bobby Kim came to America with both his parents when he was still very young, migrating from Asia wasn't easy on the family it was almost like a dollar and a dream story. Bobby Hundreds parents did the best they could to bring him up and working hard to do the best job they could, Once Bobby Hundreds got older and became a teenager he started getting influenced by skating music and streetwear. Throughout the story Bobby Hundreds has to overcome many challenges like leaving home, going to college and living day to day. The story really gave me a first hand perspective on how difficult managing and owning a brand can be at times. But the theme stayed solid throughout his writing, difficult times don't always mean that positivity isn't an option to me it was interesting how I picked up this theme without the book directly ever talking about it, the Author did a great job at showing how he was able to get through everything and to me it was through a consistent drive and positive attitude.
While reading and spending time anatomizing this book, I really enjoyed how Bobby Hundreds went about illustrating his story. Going back to the theme, Bobby Hundreds goes through many struggles in his journey but the way he did his absolute best to not let the world get him down and stay positive was very inspirational. The best thing to me is that it didn't seem like he was neccasarily faking anything about how he came up or started his brand, he stayed positive because he always tried to have something to help him progress or to do and if he didn't physically he was always thinking about what would be next. I would recommend this book to any reader interested in the topic of streetwear and Bobby Hundreds story. The book opened my eyes to see that no matter how difficult things may be you have to try to stay passionate and positive about what you love in order to achieve your end goal. Sometimes it's not about seeing the end of everything when you start but pursuing it and seeing where it takes you.
Per. 5 english
Book review
The book This Is Not A T-Shirt by Bobby Hundreds( Bobby Kim ) is a book that is very easy to engage in and relate to. The book talks a lot about finding yourself and how long that may take for some of us as well as how unexpected things can become reality. I could relate to this book because Bobby Kims upbringing is similar to mine, furthermore his choice in career is something I would also like to do with my life. Another reason I especially liked this book is because of the timeline type of writing style, the book is written in. It takes you in detail through the emotion Bobby Kim went through and how he had to push through it all and do his best to stay positive in order to get to the position he's in now.
The book was about how Bobby Hundreds made such a successful well known streetwear brand and how he's survived the test of time no matter what struggles came at him. The book starts off giving some background and foreshadowing of what you can expect throughout the book. Bobby Kim came to America with both his parents when he was still very young, migrating from Asia wasn't easy on the family it was almost like a dollar and a dream story. Bobby Hundreds parents did the best they could to bring him up and working hard to do the best job they could, Once Bobby Hundreds got older and became a teenager he started getting influenced by skating music and streetwear. Throughout the story Bobby Hundreds has to overcome many challenges like leaving home, going to college and living day to day. The story really gave me a first hand perspective on how difficult managing and owning a brand can be at times. But the theme stayed solid throughout his writing, difficult times don't always mean that positivity isn't an option to me it was interesting how I picked up this theme without the book directly ever talking about it, the Author did a great job at showing how he was able to get through everything and to me it was through a consistent drive and positive attitude.
While reading and spending time anatomizing this book, I really enjoyed how Bobby Hundreds went about illustrating his story. Going back to the theme, Bobby Hundreds goes through many struggles in his journey but the way he did his absolute best to not let the world get him down and stay positive was very inspirational. The best thing to me is that it didn't seem like he was neccasarily faking anything about how he came up or started his brand, he stayed positive because he always tried to have something to help him progress or to do and if he didn't physically he was always thinking about what would be next. I would recommend this book to any reader interested in the topic of streetwear and Bobby Hundreds story. The book opened my eyes to see that no matter how difficult things may be you have to try to stay passionate and positive about what you love in order to achieve your end goal. Sometimes it's not about seeing the end of everything when you start but pursuing it and seeing where it takes you.
July 22, 2020
I didn’t grow up on streetwear or know much about it or The Hundreds until I was an adult. But I was interested in seeing the journey. The storytelling style is great and drew me in. But I do agree with the critiques that it feels a bit self-congratulatory overall. Yes, he talks about the downs in the business too but there is a lot of patting themselves on the back when he talks about when business was really good. It even seems to gloss over the seeming bumps on their way up.
One part that particularly irked me is when he casually mentions having to let go of their entire SF store, they all lost their jobs, then talks about going back to their hotel room to drink scotch while their new collab drops and they make thousands of dollars. It seemed like an unintentional juxtaposition despite it being an immediate shift and it felt tacky. I know he’s trying to focus on the trajectory of the business, but that lack of awareness considering the mantra of ‘people over product’ had an uncomfortable disconnect.
Was balancing law school and the brand as easy as he made it seem? Doing other jobs and working in the brand until it made enough to go full time? It’s framed as if the brand got popular overnight and they just got lucky break after lucky break but then he mentions how long it took for them to be able to get paid. I wish there had been more focus on that awkward growing period of not knowing if this would take off and showing more of a backdrop of their lives and struggles at that time.
I also think it’s interesting that he frames the brand as having been welcoming and for everyone without that exclusionary attitude other streetwear brands had, but seemingly considered a female student at his lecture asking about the brands past misogyny as a tough question. Instead of saying what more they could do moving forward he talked about how they’ve already promoted women into leadership positions in the company. Okay but how did that change the culture for the better? What are you actively doing to make sure that any residual misogyny is called out and stopped immediately?
Structure-wise it reads a bit like a memoir fever dream. I’m all for things jumping around in time as long as there’s a through-line, which I thought was going to be a somewhat linear telling of the brands history peppered with other stories from the years as well as childhood. But the timeline bounced around a lot. I had a hard time figuring out exactly where in time we were in every chapter which made it hard to follow.
Nonetheless it was an interesting peek into a world and community I wasn’t part of and didn’t know much about.
One part that particularly irked me is when he casually mentions having to let go of their entire SF store, they all lost their jobs, then talks about going back to their hotel room to drink scotch while their new collab drops and they make thousands of dollars. It seemed like an unintentional juxtaposition despite it being an immediate shift and it felt tacky. I know he’s trying to focus on the trajectory of the business, but that lack of awareness considering the mantra of ‘people over product’ had an uncomfortable disconnect.
Was balancing law school and the brand as easy as he made it seem? Doing other jobs and working in the brand until it made enough to go full time? It’s framed as if the brand got popular overnight and they just got lucky break after lucky break but then he mentions how long it took for them to be able to get paid. I wish there had been more focus on that awkward growing period of not knowing if this would take off and showing more of a backdrop of their lives and struggles at that time.
I also think it’s interesting that he frames the brand as having been welcoming and for everyone without that exclusionary attitude other streetwear brands had, but seemingly considered a female student at his lecture asking about the brands past misogyny as a tough question. Instead of saying what more they could do moving forward he talked about how they’ve already promoted women into leadership positions in the company. Okay but how did that change the culture for the better? What are you actively doing to make sure that any residual misogyny is called out and stopped immediately?
Structure-wise it reads a bit like a memoir fever dream. I’m all for things jumping around in time as long as there’s a through-line, which I thought was going to be a somewhat linear telling of the brands history peppered with other stories from the years as well as childhood. But the timeline bounced around a lot. I had a hard time figuring out exactly where in time we were in every chapter which made it hard to follow.
Nonetheless it was an interesting peek into a world and community I wasn’t part of and didn’t know much about.
September 5, 2019
People over product is a great summary of The Hundreds brand ethos, but this book was more. I was only tangentially aware of The Hundreds because I’m not really a cool streetwear kid (or fuccboi as he calls it), but this was the best memoir from a young person I’ve read yet because it wasn’t trying to be more.
Bobby is so approachable, it felt like I was listening to him speaking on the phone or sitting on my couch. There was no boundary between him and his story. Brands go for this “authenticity” or “transparency,” but I’d call his book completely free of ego.
He is a great writer and storyteller-obviously, it’s what built the Hundreds community-but his thought is so artful he actually got me to see something differently that I was previously pretty opinionated about(copyright in fashion design, and why there’s minimal protection for designers in the US).
I loved this book. Legit.
Bobby is so approachable, it felt like I was listening to him speaking on the phone or sitting on my couch. There was no boundary between him and his story. Brands go for this “authenticity” or “transparency,” but I’d call his book completely free of ego.
He is a great writer and storyteller-obviously, it’s what built the Hundreds community-but his thought is so artful he actually got me to see something differently that I was previously pretty opinionated about(copyright in fashion design, and why there’s minimal protection for designers in the US).
I loved this book. Legit.
June 27, 2020
This book is everything you want it to be and more. I don't know much about streetwear and the only reason I picked this book up was because, it passed through me before getting to the intended owner (my cousin). I have no idea what I expected going in, but I do know I got way much more than I bargained for. This was my first introduction to The Hundreds and I have to say, I am a tiny bit embarrassed that I didn't know of it's existence. It was a great story about the brand, the people behind the brand (both the community and founders) and so much more! I loved it so much After I'm done with this review, I am definitely headed to the hundreds website and digging through their sales section.
October 20, 2019
Touching at times, Bobby Hundreds book is a testament to how much self-reflection and thought he has put into his brand and business. Overall a great guide for any Gen X’er (both founders of The Hundreds were born in 1980) struggling with the tension that is often found between being successful and genuine at the same time.
The book also provides an interesting history of retail and fashion from a ‘street wear’ perspective in the early 2000’s, but is also full of brand and notable mentions that largely fall flat to someone who someone who is not as deeply entrenched in the industry like myself.
The book also provides an interesting history of retail and fashion from a ‘street wear’ perspective in the early 2000’s, but is also full of brand and notable mentions that largely fall flat to someone who someone who is not as deeply entrenched in the industry like myself.
September 15, 2019
I couldn’t finish this one. Maybe I’m not the right audience since I had no idea who this guy was. Felt too self-congratulatory overall.
September 26, 2019
I couldn’t finish this book.
September 8, 2023
The Hundreds is a streetwear brand that at its peak was nearly purchased by Tommy Hilfiger. In an NYTimes profile in 2006, they asked “Can a hipster t-shirt be as incendiary as a rock anthem?”
At that point, The Hundreds had a tiny retail location, but sold $2,500 per day in T-shirts, far more revenue per square foot than the biggest department stores. But let’s rewind to how they got started.
To land their first store placement, Bobby Hundreds pitched the buyer for a hip Santa Monica store on just a few graphic t-shirts.
But The Hundreds stood out, explained Bobby, because each t-shirt design ties to a story of people and culture. Customers would only get the full story by going to the blog thehundreds.com to read about the shirt and the person who designed it.
“The website brings people together. It’s like our little club.”
Boom, first store signed! And from there they knocked ‘em down like dominos. But really small dominos because they were selling a dozen shirts at a time.
At every turn, The Hundreds founders zigged when others zagged, and I love the story from the early days at trade shows.
In downtown LA in 2004 they had a small offering full of buyers looking for rising star brands for their stores. But on day one every buyer strolled right past The Hundreds and over to the flashier booths. Instead of getting frustrated, the founders Bobby and Ben said “screw it, we don’t need these jerks either.”
They left the showroom floor, bought a big black tarp, and put it over their display.
The Hundreds was only open to viewing for the 1% of the buyers who had stores catering to the streetwear and sneakerhead audience.
After the show, they returned home extremely satisfied despite landing zero sales.
They did not cave and sell to cheap accounts that might bring down their brand. The Hundreds strengthened its image by making a clear statement about who they were, and more importantly who they were not.
They emphasized their physical presence even with a massive following of their blog (including Pharell in the early days) - putting up posters and meeting people in person whenever possible.
I admire this emphasis on personal connection, particularly with today’s trends of e-commerce and ordering products never seen in person.
“The aim was never to make customers of everyone. Just someone…. Never underestimate the power of influence in 1-on-1 encounters.”
I’d like to add the caveat that learning from biographies is dangerous - you tend to hear the story from the one person who succeeded. (Because who wants to read the story of people who failed and never became famous!?)
For proactive advice, the smarter person would look at a dozen people, or better yet many dozens. That enables you to cut out the purely contextual advice. When you discover commonalities among a larger group you find a true pattern you can learn from.
But that’s a lot of books and podcasts to consume!
The flip side is that everyone fails, and it’s much better to learn from the failures of others than to make every mistake yourself. The big lesson for me is to double down on the audience you care most about.
At that point, The Hundreds had a tiny retail location, but sold $2,500 per day in T-shirts, far more revenue per square foot than the biggest department stores. But let’s rewind to how they got started.
To land their first store placement, Bobby Hundreds pitched the buyer for a hip Santa Monica store on just a few graphic t-shirts.
But The Hundreds stood out, explained Bobby, because each t-shirt design ties to a story of people and culture. Customers would only get the full story by going to the blog thehundreds.com to read about the shirt and the person who designed it.
“The website brings people together. It’s like our little club.”
Boom, first store signed! And from there they knocked ‘em down like dominos. But really small dominos because they were selling a dozen shirts at a time.
At every turn, The Hundreds founders zigged when others zagged, and I love the story from the early days at trade shows.
In downtown LA in 2004 they had a small offering full of buyers looking for rising star brands for their stores. But on day one every buyer strolled right past The Hundreds and over to the flashier booths. Instead of getting frustrated, the founders Bobby and Ben said “screw it, we don’t need these jerks either.”
They left the showroom floor, bought a big black tarp, and put it over their display.
The Hundreds was only open to viewing for the 1% of the buyers who had stores catering to the streetwear and sneakerhead audience.
After the show, they returned home extremely satisfied despite landing zero sales.
They did not cave and sell to cheap accounts that might bring down their brand. The Hundreds strengthened its image by making a clear statement about who they were, and more importantly who they were not.
They emphasized their physical presence even with a massive following of their blog (including Pharell in the early days) - putting up posters and meeting people in person whenever possible.
I admire this emphasis on personal connection, particularly with today’s trends of e-commerce and ordering products never seen in person.
“The aim was never to make customers of everyone. Just someone…. Never underestimate the power of influence in 1-on-1 encounters.”
I’d like to add the caveat that learning from biographies is dangerous - you tend to hear the story from the one person who succeeded. (Because who wants to read the story of people who failed and never became famous!?)
For proactive advice, the smarter person would look at a dozen people, or better yet many dozens. That enables you to cut out the purely contextual advice. When you discover commonalities among a larger group you find a true pattern you can learn from.
But that’s a lot of books and podcasts to consume!
The flip side is that everyone fails, and it’s much better to learn from the failures of others than to make every mistake yourself. The big lesson for me is to double down on the audience you care most about.
June 10, 2025
This Is Not a T-Shirt by Bobby Hundreds
Bobby Kim, known as Bobby Hundreds, delivers a vibrant memoir in This Is Not a T-Shirt: A Brand, a Culture, a Community—a Life in Streetwear. As co-founder of The Hundreds, a pioneering streetwear brand, Hundreds blends personal storytelling with entrepreneurial insights, brought to life by his dynamic writing style. While the non-linear timeline can occasionally disorient, the book’s deep dive into brand building, community cultivation, and store creation makes it a compelling read for creatives and entrepreneurs.
Hundreds’ prose is a standout, brimming with authenticity and punk-DIY energy. His conversational tone vividly captures his Southern California youth in skate and hardcore scenes and the gritty early days of screen-printing T-shirts. Weaving in cultural references—cartoons, music, fashion—he crafts a nostalgic tapestry that resonates, especially for ‘90s and early 2000s readers. From meeting co-founder Ben Shenassafar at Loyola Law School to opening their Fairfax Avenue store, his storytelling feels intimate and electric, transforming the memoir into a love letter to streetwear’s subcultural roots.
The book’s strength lies in its practical wisdom on brand and community building. Hundreds’ “People Over Product” ethos shines as he shares how The Hundreds built a loyal following through authenticity. Clever tactics, like the “Keep The Hundreds Out of NYC” sticker campaign to preempt backlash and build hype, or the “black tarp philosophy” for retail exclusivity, offer a blueprint for standing out in crowded markets. These insights are invaluable for aspiring entrepreneurs, grounding the book in universal lessons.
The chapters on store build-outs are equally gripping, detailing how a bestselling paisley hoodie funded their first Fairfax location. Hundreds vividly describes designing spaces that embody The Hundreds’ raw, communal vibe, immersing readers in the high-stakes process of turning vision into reality. These sections highlight the book’s theme of fostering connection through physical spaces, making them a highlight.
Despite its non-linear timeline, which can make the brand’s evolution hard to track, This Is Not a T-Shirt is an inspiring triumph. Bobby Hundreds’ creative storytelling and actionable insights transform his journey from outsider to streetwear icon into a must-read. For streetwear fans, entrepreneurs, or anyone drawn to unconventional success stories, this book is a testament to passion and persistence.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bobby Kim, known as Bobby Hundreds, delivers a vibrant memoir in This Is Not a T-Shirt: A Brand, a Culture, a Community—a Life in Streetwear. As co-founder of The Hundreds, a pioneering streetwear brand, Hundreds blends personal storytelling with entrepreneurial insights, brought to life by his dynamic writing style. While the non-linear timeline can occasionally disorient, the book’s deep dive into brand building, community cultivation, and store creation makes it a compelling read for creatives and entrepreneurs.
Hundreds’ prose is a standout, brimming with authenticity and punk-DIY energy. His conversational tone vividly captures his Southern California youth in skate and hardcore scenes and the gritty early days of screen-printing T-shirts. Weaving in cultural references—cartoons, music, fashion—he crafts a nostalgic tapestry that resonates, especially for ‘90s and early 2000s readers. From meeting co-founder Ben Shenassafar at Loyola Law School to opening their Fairfax Avenue store, his storytelling feels intimate and electric, transforming the memoir into a love letter to streetwear’s subcultural roots.
The book’s strength lies in its practical wisdom on brand and community building. Hundreds’ “People Over Product” ethos shines as he shares how The Hundreds built a loyal following through authenticity. Clever tactics, like the “Keep The Hundreds Out of NYC” sticker campaign to preempt backlash and build hype, or the “black tarp philosophy” for retail exclusivity, offer a blueprint for standing out in crowded markets. These insights are invaluable for aspiring entrepreneurs, grounding the book in universal lessons.
The chapters on store build-outs are equally gripping, detailing how a bestselling paisley hoodie funded their first Fairfax location. Hundreds vividly describes designing spaces that embody The Hundreds’ raw, communal vibe, immersing readers in the high-stakes process of turning vision into reality. These sections highlight the book’s theme of fostering connection through physical spaces, making them a highlight.
Despite its non-linear timeline, which can make the brand’s evolution hard to track, This Is Not a T-Shirt is an inspiring triumph. Bobby Hundreds’ creative storytelling and actionable insights transform his journey from outsider to streetwear icon into a must-read. For streetwear fans, entrepreneurs, or anyone drawn to unconventional success stories, this book is a testament to passion and persistence.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 13, 2024
Duh, Bobby Kim, this is a book! And that’s a good thing, because I’m far more likely to buy a book about streetwear than a t-shirt from The Hundreds (or most streetwear brands, for that matter). Not only was I extremely far away from The Hundreds community/style back when they were establishing their game, but their artistic style is still not one that jives with what I want to wear. That being said, Bobby Hundreds’ (Kim) voice as a writer is pretty engaging, and within a few chapters I could see why so many people picked up on his blog and followed the pipeline back to the stores and the community that the brand built around themselves. It’s rare that a company is that ingrained in the real world, and not just in selling product, and Kim paints an engaging and personable story as we tread the chapters of his book. Telling the story of the Hundreds in a slightly haphazard manner, Hundreds’ stream-of-consciousness narrative jumps from their OG Rosewood Avenue headquarters to Hong Kong and back, reading like the blog stylings that painted the original story behind their t-shirt designs and bringing to mind the heady early days of internet blogs – where people were out there just telling their stories and connecting with the other internet weirdos, before social media took the “social” out of the platforms to be replaced with branding and marketing. Integrate some pictorial content (give me half-processed rawness, overly simplified Tumblr/Wordpress layouts, and the amusing “filters” of scrambling-to-learn Photoshop) and we’re sold. But Hundreds’ words do speak well on their own, and in contrast to the other shiny coffee table books being schilled by the other streetwear companies (I’m looking at you Supreme, Palace, and Huf - even though I adore the results), showing that the Hundreds continues to march to the beat of their own unique style. Do I have any sort of buy in to the Hundreds and their credo after reaching the final pages of the book? Or an itch to start my own clothing company (or whatever)? Thankfully, no - I have too many things on my plate to go chasing a dream that isn’t mine to begin with. But I appreciate the raw story that Bobby Hundreds has conveyed, and the place that the brand holds in the streetwear community.
June 1, 2020
As an avid lover of current streetwear culture, and growing up being surrounded by The Hundreds + their counterparts, this book was awesome. I could go on about how Bobby has a knack for storytelling in such an engaging, but no fluff way, but you can read to experience it yourself.
The most impactful portion of this book for me, was Bobby’s willingness to be so vulnerable regarding how his upbringing has shaped his thought process. He doesn’t have an extremely original upbringing compared to many Asian Americans, which is something I treasured in this book. His parents worked to provide a comfortable and happy childhood, and I would probably more relate to his older sibling more rather than him.
His story isn’t also one full of taking stupid risks; they were all calculated and balanced. Yes some risks were larger than others, and not everyone would have taken them, but they were risks they took out of passion and not insanity. It seemed like an attainable success story and that’s what inspired me the most. Of course it doesn’t come without the talent and drive that they put in, but I also admired his honesty in how he had to learn about everything. This book felt very real and I appreciate him telling the little stories of the hustle. It also reaffirms the notion that people over product leads to longevity. It’s nice to be reminded by a real experience over just a lecture once in a while in order to not be jaded by money.
My favorite quote in the book went something like: if you’re having trouble selling something, slap a basketball on it. Classic streetwear trick. I thought it was hilarious... because it is so true.
The most impactful portion of this book for me, was Bobby’s willingness to be so vulnerable regarding how his upbringing has shaped his thought process. He doesn’t have an extremely original upbringing compared to many Asian Americans, which is something I treasured in this book. His parents worked to provide a comfortable and happy childhood, and I would probably more relate to his older sibling more rather than him.
His story isn’t also one full of taking stupid risks; they were all calculated and balanced. Yes some risks were larger than others, and not everyone would have taken them, but they were risks they took out of passion and not insanity. It seemed like an attainable success story and that’s what inspired me the most. Of course it doesn’t come without the talent and drive that they put in, but I also admired his honesty in how he had to learn about everything. This book felt very real and I appreciate him telling the little stories of the hustle. It also reaffirms the notion that people over product leads to longevity. It’s nice to be reminded by a real experience over just a lecture once in a while in order to not be jaded by money.
My favorite quote in the book went something like: if you’re having trouble selling something, slap a basketball on it. Classic streetwear trick. I thought it was hilarious... because it is so true.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2021
Bobby Kim, tell us more about how you put “people over product” when in the same breath you talk about raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in e-commerce hours after laying off your brick and mortar staff. Did you help them with their career transitions? Did you use your connections you so fluidly name drop throughout the book’s entirety to help them support themselves financially? The descriptions of influence behind art installations and graphic design are horrifically elementary. The consistent comic book references were juvenile, but then again so is the hundreds and so is streetwear culture. Thought this was going to be an interesting business book but it was self-glorifying and since Bobby repeatedly touts the hundreds is a media company this was just a marketing channel for the brand during declining popularity (sales?). The best part was hearing how Aly took them under his wing, that’s what this community is about, not romanticizing sex, drugs and rock n’ roll which is ironically not that original nor interesting to read about, let along through a lens that lacks narrative development or literary quality.
Spoiler alert: Supreme is the $1B company the hundreds will never be, even if their media revenue takes off. It’s simply not that good a product or brand.
Spoiler alert: Supreme is the $1B company the hundreds will never be, even if their media revenue takes off. It’s simply not that good a product or brand.
July 3, 2019
I just finished “This is not a T-shirt” by Bobby Kim, a biography about how he and his co-founders started The Hundreds, a streetwear company back in the early 2000s. I haven’t heard of The Hundreds before I read this book and was never into the streetwear culture but just the title alone was enough to catch my attention. Ref. “This is not a pipe”
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Like the title, this book is not just about how he started a t-shirt company business, but instead about how he built a streetwear culture and community along the way. From his words I could feel the passion he had for the people and the culture, sometimes at the expense of risking his business, something no businessman would do. But it is precisely this that made The Hundreds stand out in the sea of other streetwear companies - one that is authentic and for the people.
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It is a little long-winded so I’d recommend watching the interview Bobby did on YouTube for the Blueprint series to hear about the story of The Hundreds in his own words but if you want the full picture the book does go into details.
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Like the title, this book is not just about how he started a t-shirt company business, but instead about how he built a streetwear culture and community along the way. From his words I could feel the passion he had for the people and the culture, sometimes at the expense of risking his business, something no businessman would do. But it is precisely this that made The Hundreds stand out in the sea of other streetwear companies - one that is authentic and for the people.
-
It is a little long-winded so I’d recommend watching the interview Bobby did on YouTube for the Blueprint series to hear about the story of The Hundreds in his own words but if you want the full picture the book does go into details.
June 3, 2022
This Is Not a T-Shirt was written by the founder of streetwear clothing brand "The Hundreds." Clothing over the last few years has been more apparent to me, rather than just putting on whatever I have in my closet, and Bobby Hundreds' story can relate to mine as well. When reading this novel I could understand how Bobby decided to begin his company, and also, because he wrote this during the time of his active business, a clear perspective is seen on how he is treated within the streetwear community as a leading seller of clothes. His perspective differs from others in the community, and I also get to see him relate to many customers, fans, and other designers. One quote that stuck to me was, "Man I didn't actually MEAN to be mean, it was just a bad day." Anyone interested in the clothing/streetwear community would enjoy this book, and me being included in that is why I gave this book 4 stars.
July 17, 2019
I moved to L.A. in 2003 and bought my first Hundreds shirt from the flagship store on Rosewood not too many years after that. I never really connected with the Hundreds mascot, Adam Bomb, but I still followed them even as I grew older and matured out of the brand. Or so I thought. Over the past few years I’ve bought several of their shirts and joined their excellent book club: Death Sentences Book Club. The anticipation for This Is Not A T-Shirt has been building for some time now and I’m relieved to say that the book is everything I had hoped it would be, and more! Although clearly a memoir there’s something to be learned for even the most casual fan of streetwear who’s never even heard of The Hundreds or the man who started it all. Everything about the book resonated with me and had me feeling nostalgic for my time in L.A. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it.
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