Chinatown Market Officially Rebrands to ‘MARKET’
The change was announced in March, following attacks on the AAPI community.
Nearly five months after committing to rebrand its name, Chinatown Market has officially announced its new handle – simply MARKET, or MA®KET. The change was unveiled with an Instagram video on Sunday that shows the new moniker being applied to a variety of places and products, including graffiti art, shirts, and mugs.
“We are now MA®KET,” the brand wrote in the caption. “We wanna thank each and every one of you for your patience and support throughout this journey. Huge shoutout to everyone on the team and all the extended family for everything you did to get us here. We can’t wait to show you all the new products, content, and collaborations we’ve got planned for ya.”
The brand announced it would change its name in March, following backlash after eight people, including six Asian women, were murdered in Atlanta. Demands for a rebrand were amplified by a Change.org petition and an Instagram post by Diet Prada calling out the streetwear label for appropriating the heritage of the neighborhood and propagating “the idea that [Chinatown] is nothing more than a shady counterfeit market.”
In response, Chinatown Market co-founder Michael Cherman committed to moving away from the established name in the following months. “The Asian American community is rightfully demanding all of us think and act more honestly. We should have done this sooner but it is never too late to do the right thing,” read the statement. “Our name was inspired by the shops, people, and vibrance of Canal Street and Chinatown in New York but it’s not our name to use. We did not do enough to consider what this name would mean to the communities in Chinatowns across the world and we need to take ownership of this mistake.”
The label has launched a new website, MarketMarketMarket.com, where fans can find capsule collections with shirts, hoodies, shorts, and accessories featuring the new name in various styles, and has already announced a series of upcoming collaborations with brands such as Crocs, Tommy Hilfiger, and Puma.
Since March, all sales from Chinatown Market products have been going to non-profit Asian American Pacific Islander organizations, including Send Chinatown Love, Immigrant Social Services, and Welcome to Chinatown, which it will continue to do under the new name.
“The last several months have been really incredible,” Cherman told WWD. “We’ve worked with so many great individuals and organizations and we’re excited to continue finding new ways to support their work, like artist collaborations that I know our community will love.”