However, the origins for the brand go back to 1989. Shephard attended art school and designed a sticker with the inscription: Andre the Giant has a Posse, which also features a likeness of the legendary wrestler. The homemade stickers could be seen all over the country shortly thereafter and were something of an early form of today's street art. To this day, André's face is the logo of the Obey brand. In addition to the now legendary André artwork, Shephard is also responsible for many other pieces of art. In his role as a graphic designer, he has created album covers, as well as brand logos and movie posters. One of his most famous designs is probably the 2008 HOPE poster featuring a portrait of Barack Obama.
His art and related production techniques, such as silkscreen, are the cornerstone of Obey's apparel. Similar to his motifs, the name Obey, is also characterized by sarcasm and exaggeration. The meaning is clear, but is supposed to mean exactly the opposite. The Do-It-Yourself attitude, which Fairy displays in his art, should also apply to the clothing. The label Obey offers Fairy a whole new kind of canvas to bring his graphics and illustrations to the people. No big experiments are made in the collections, streetwear basics like T-shirts, hoodies or chino pants, are also the first choice for Obey to represent his influences, ideals and philosophy. As with other streetwear brands, Obey is inspired by military clothing and workwear.
