
Considered one of the
most meteoric rises in fashion history, Christian Audigier
has parlayed his design experience and business acumen to
become a true fashion icon and entrepreneurial sensation in
less than four years. Through his collection of
international companies, he has launched nine popular brands
with over sixty licenses. He oversees an international
conglomerate of his designer brands, including Ed Hardy™,
Christian Audigier™, SMET™, Crystal Rock™, most recently
C-Bar-A™, Savoir Faire™, Evel Knievel ™, Rock Fabulous™, and
Paco Chicano™; this includes US and international wholesale
distribution, US retail stores, as well as international
retail stores.
Christian made his mark throughout the fashion industry
after a fortuitous start at MacKeen Jeans. He has
contributed to successful brands such as Diesel, Fiorucci,
Bisou Bisou, Levi’s, NafNaf and American Outfitters.
Christian’s style is so distinctive that he is known as the
“King of Jeans.”
More recently, Christian threw his ingenuity behind Von
Dutch™, where he catapulted the brand from obscurity into a
household name. He single handedly created several trends,
including the now famous trucker hat trend which could be
seen on everyone from college students to high-profile
celebrities. Christian was responsible for putting Von
Dutch™ on the map, thus paving the way for his next great
enterprise.
In 2004, Christian left Von Dutch™ and proceeded to create
and launch the wildly popular Ed HardyŽ brand. He was
granted the exclusive rights to the designs of Don Ed Hardy,
who is commonly referred to as the “Godfather of Tattoo.”
With Ed HardyŽ, Christian not only created a brand, but a
lifestyle of street couture.
Christian has built a fervent following for his Ed HardyŽ
and the eponymous Christian Audigier™ brands. Celebrities
such as Madonna, Britney Spears, and Kanye West, among
others are frequently seen wearing his unique designs. His
celebrity following includes more than 5,000 celebrities,
athletes and musicians of all genres.
In 2008, Christian announced his latest venture, When I Move
You Move™, the Trade Show, exclusively showcasing the entire
family of Audigier brands. Included are the more than 60
licensees who produce everything from jewelry, skateboards,
chocolates, wine, water, vodka, and even air fresheners.
Christian also branched out into the world of nightclubs,
with the star-studded opening of Christian Audigier The
Nightclub at Treasure Island, in Las Vegas. His rock ‘n’
roll, glam-inspired style is celebrated throughout his
namesake club, which includes works of art designed by
Christian. It has quickly become the hottest spot on the Las
Vegas Strip.
Christian Audigier, born in the city of Avignon, in the
South of France, embodies and represents the pinnacle of
success in achieving the American dream. He currently
resides with his family in Los Angeles, California. His
impressive list of accomplishments, shrewd business sense,
and charismatic personality make him the global success that
he is today.
Hardy was born in 1945 in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach,
California. He attended the San Francisco Art Institute and
graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking.
Through his association with Sailor Jerry, Hardy was able to
study tattooing in Japan in 1973 with the Japanese classical
tattoo master, Horihide. He became recognized for
incorporating Japanese tattoo aesthetic and technique into
his American style work.
Fascinated by tattoos since childhood, Hardy has become a
master of his craft while continuing his work in the more
traditional mediums of painting and drawing. In 2000, he
completed a 500 foot long scroll painting of 2000 dragons in
honor of the turn of the millennium and the Dragon year. The
scroll has been exhibited at Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica,
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, the Cuenca Bienal in
Ecuador and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San
Francisco. Don Ed Hardy curated the exhibition, "Pierced
Hearts and True Love", which was shown at The Drawing Center
in New York in September 1995 and traveled to several other
museums. His work is represented in the collections of The
Honolulu Academy of Art, The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu,
The San Francisco Fine Arts Museum Achenbach Collection, and
the University of Colorado Fine Art Galleries.
In 2004, Christian Audigier licensed the rights to produce
the Ed Hardy clothing line, which is based on Hardy's
imagery. Ed Hardy stores are located in New York, Los
Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, Tucson, Dubai, Kuwait, New Delhi
and Mumbai.
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