OG Ma

About

Chinese American entrepreneur and streetwear icon known for being the face of Unique Hype Collection, a legendary Chinatown resale shop that became a pilgrimage site for Supreme collectors and celebrities. She is also known for turning a small family-run store into one of New York City's most recognizable destinations for rare hype fashion.

Before fame

She initially worked as a babysitter while building a new life in the United States. She eventually earned a business degree. Her son Peter opened a small Chinatown shop that becomes Unique Hype Collection in 2006, and she stepped in as the day-to-day manager. She and Unique Hype Collection gradually grew in popularity in the late 2000s into the early 2010s. Her shop became well known by 2014 after celebrities began shopping there.

Trivia

She is known for remembering repeat customers by face even years later in a store that sees thousands of visitors annually. She has been featured by major outlets including The New Yorker, The Cut, Hypebeast, Complex, Highsnobiety, and Vogue Business as well as in documentaries and YouTube culture pieces. She is also known as the "Mother of Streetwear."

Family life

Her real name is Lam Xie. She is a mother of two sons and built Unique Hype as a family run business alongside them. She moved to New York City from Shenzhen, China in 1992 and has remained based in Manhattan's Chinatown.

Associated with

Her store features walls decorated with signed money from rappers such as Playboi Carti and Juice WRLD. Her shop was first visited by Wiz Khalifa in 2014.