Brands: Greats Hitting Its Stride

-GLOSSY

GreatsThe brainchild of sneaker industry veterans Ryan Babenzien (formerly of K-Swiss and Puma) and Jon Buscemi, Greats was born in Brooklyn in 2007 — and it’s recently hit its stride. Last year, its collaboration with NFL running back Marshawn Lynch reportedly sold out in 49 minutes. In September, its shoe created with Jason Wu’s diffusion line, Grey — which marked its foray into women’s footwear — cleared out in 12 hours. Recently armed with $15 million in funding (it raised its most recent round of $10 million in May), the company is busy expanding its physical presence: This fall, it started selling in eight Nordstrom locations on the West Coast, plus it plans to open nine more of its own stores in the next two years. It launched its first, Greats Studio, in Williamsburg in October.