There are few marks in hip-hop as ubiquitous as the Wu-Tang Clan’s “W” logo. And one of the best ways we’ve ever seen that marking utilized was through Wu Wear. Spearheaded by Oliver “Power” Grant and founded in 1995, the label was a pioneer that came onto the scene long before it was commonplace for rappers to have their own clothing lines. While its impact is everlasting, the brand has gone through many ebbs and flows over the past 30 years. Now, its gearing up for a formal relaunch and its doing it at ComplexCon 2026 in Los Angeles.
“Wu Wear is one of the foundational hip-hop, streetwear brands led by the artist and their team,” says RZA in an official press release. “It paved the way for success in that market space that is now emulated by so many other brands today.”
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Ahead of the official return of Wu Wear at ComplexCon 2026, here is some of the history behind the lifestyle brand for one of the biggest rap groups of all time.
The Style Influence of Wu-Tang Clan
Before their logo was stamped on a brand of their own, the Wu-Tang Clan was already revered as some of the flyest rappers of the ‘90s and being looked at for style inspiration. Some of their most well-known contributions include Raekwon’s “Snow Beach” jacket in the “Can It All Be So Simple” video, ODB’s eccentric grills when everyone else was still rocking classic gold slugs and diamond fronts (decades before custom grills were a full blown art form), and Ghostface Killah and Raekwon’s Clarks Wallabee obsession.
The Origins of Wu Wear
Three years after Wu-Tang Clan was officially formed, the group was already popular enough to launch its own brand. Enter Wu Wear. Grant, RZA's childhood friend and the groups’s executive producer, was helping shape Wu-Tang’s aesthetic. He noticed the influence that the rappers had on other brands, and wanted to apply it to an original Wu-Tang Clan clothing brand.
The approach was simple. Wu Wear took the existing trends and silhouettes of ‘90s hip-hop and remixed them with outward branding to make it its own. Wu Wear was started with just $1,000, which Grant gave to Wu Wear COO Michael A. Clark for blanks and screenprinting costs. By 1997, the brand had reached $10.8 million in gross sales.
“At the end of the day, we are all interested in fashion," Grant told Complex in 2011. "Initially, when we started doing the music, my interests just came from trying to figure out a way to diversify what we was doing, based on the fact that you know, I wasn't a rapper or a producer or anything like that."
This wasn’t the Wu-Tang Clan T-shirts and hoodies that have become a dime a dozen. Wu Wear was much more intentional and boasted more premium cut and sew executions. Think velour sweaters, printed button-downs, and hefty outerwear.
Who Was Oliver "Power" Grant?
Grant came up in the Park Hill projects on Staten Island alongside the Wu-Tang Clan. He would become the financial mind behind the iconic rap group (and also played Knowledge in Belly). In 1992, he pulled together the financing that paid for "Protect Ya Neck.” But the biggest financial contribution of all was launching Wu Wear in 1995. It grew the Wu-Tang Clan brand bigger than ever before by giving its fans stylish pieces to rock beyond just logo tees and concert merch. Grant died on Monday, February 24, 2026.
“Wu Wear was spearheaded by our Brother, Power...He was the one who defined the look and aesthetic,” says RZA. “A true pioneer of hip hop culture and fashion, his legacy lives on in Wu Wear, which he helped create and shape.”
Wu Wear: The Garment Renaissance
After its inception, Wu Wear received numerous shoutouts in lyrics from a number of Wu-Tang Clan members. None of them were as in-your-face as the track, “Wu Wear: The Garment Renaissance,” which appeared on the soundtrack for the 1996 film High School High. Throughout the four-minute track, RZA, Method Man, and Cappadonna spit bars to co-sign their namesake clothing brand. RZA provided the highlights, which include:
- RZA: “Yo, diamond crystal rings sharp like icicles, nickel-plated pistols/Official Wu-Wear covers my physical.”
- RZA: “Went through a garment renaissance, and stopped wearin' Benetton, Tommy Hill, Perry Ellis, Nautica, or Liz Claiborne/Ocean Pacific, Fila, Bill Blass and Lee fitted/Quit the Armani sweaters with the Gucci wool knitted/Now all he buys — Kani's, Cross Colours, Shabazz Brothers/Mecca, Pelly Pell, '88, North Q, Bear and a few others/For the new year, strictly Wu-Wear.”
It’s a level of promotion that no ad agency or campaign could match.
What Are Wu Wear's Most Iconic Pieces?
Wu Wear was producing legitimate, high quality items that took inspiration from other popular brands of the time like Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Varsity jackets with the Wu globe logo, mesh jerseys, leather jackets, and sweaters were among some of Wu Wear’s best and most popular offerings. Of course, there was always a fair share of logo T-shirts to round out the collections.
By the late ‘90s, the brand was dabbling into other categories as well. It even sold its own perfume and jewelry. According to a 1998 article in Blaze magazine, the brand was estimating that it would gross $20 million that year.
Wu Wear Stores
At its peak, Wu Wear even had multiple retail stores. Of course, the first one was stationed in the group’s home borough of Staten Island. According to a 1998 article in Blaze magazine, it was raking in close to $1.5 million a year.
Other outposts opened in nearby East Coast cities like Philadelphia, as well as Norfolk, Virginia and Atlanta. According to a Complex interview with Grant in 2011, a fifth store was planned for Los Angeles but never officially opened.
In additon to its own flagship stores, Wu Wear was also stocked in department stores like Macy’s, as well as other mall retailers lik Dr. Jay’s and Hot Topic.
Wu Wear’s Shutdown and Comeback
Major retailers dropped the line in 2008 and Wu Wear was officially discontinued. Its designs lived on through a burgeoning vintage market, hip-hop heads, and ‘90s fashion trends bubbling back up with new generations.
RZA and Grant eventually made an attempt to bring back Wu Wear in 2017 through a partnership with Live Nation's merchandise division. The plan paired re-releases of classic designs with new pieces on an updated aesthetic. The second act of Wu Wear ultimately fizzled out just a few years later. Now, its set for another run.
What Is Wu Wear Doing at ComplexCon 2026?
Wu Wear will be relaunching with its own booth at ComplexCon 2026 in Los Angeles. While the exact details of the collection are still under wraps, expect clear nods to Wu-Tang Clan and the gritty, timeless style of New York City.
