Christian Audigier

With nearly fifty licenses and seven popular brands in under 3 ½ years, Christian Audigier has become not only a hugely successful entrepreneur but a true international fashion icon. Through his company, Nervous Tattoo, he is responsible for and oversees more than 45,000 people worldwide who work directly and indirectly with his seven current designer lines, including “Ed Hardy”, “Christian Audigier”, SMET”, “Crystal Rock”, and most recently “C-Bar-A”, “Chuck Boyd”, and “Paco Chicano.”

In his early teen dreaming of being a rock star, Audigier designed his first denim collection inspired by the rock and roll lifestyle of the Rolling Stones, his all-time favorite group. Recently there after, he was discovered by one of the executives of “MacKeen Jeans” who was impressed with his passionate love of life and his obvious talent. From there Christian Audigier began a long and interesting career.

Prior to his recent successes, Audigier was a well respected designer for several of the most reputable clothing brands in the world, including “Diesel”, “Fiorucci”, “Bisou Bisou”, “Levi’s”, “NafNaf” and “American Outfitters.” Wherever Audigier hung his hat, he became the major force within that company, thus given the title “The King of Jeans.” It is more recently through his creativity and well-known association with “Von Dutch”, where he was the head designer and CEO for over 3 years, that he rightfully received tremendous praise for his groundbreaking ideas in marketing and promotion. Due to his marketing genius, everyone from college kids to Britney Spears and Ashton Kutcher were seen wearing the now-famous trucker hats and pinstripe T-shirts. Audigier single-handedly put “Von Dutch” on the map thus paving the way for his next great venture.

In 2004, Audigier created and launched “Ed Hardy.” He optioned and was granted the exclusive rights to the designs of Don Ed Hardy, the “Godfather of Tattoo.” With “Ed Hardy”, Audigier has created not simply a brand, but an entire lifestyle and culture of street couture. His products appeal to both men and women equally, a rarity in the contemporary market. Due to his incredible knowledge of new trends and his charismatic personality, more than 5,000 major stars of all genres support and have been frequently seen wearing Audigier’s unique designs.

Audigier has always drawn inspiration for his unique designs and new trends by simply observing the dress and style of the people on the streets of Los Angeles. Because of his love of American culture and taste for high quality fabrics and premium construction, Audigier makes over 60% of his products in the US: This type of out-of-the-box and forward thinking along with his incredible ideas for guerilla marketing have enabled Christian Audigier to be the successful man we know today.

Audigier, who was born in the southern city of Avignon, France, embodies and represents the epitome of the American dream. He has an impressive list of credits and accomplishments under his belt and his unmistakable trademark and charismatic personality make him the global success that he is today. Audigier currently resides with his family in Los Angeles, California.

Don Hardy

With 40 years of tattooing and legendary status among the tattoo community, Don Ed Hardy is known as "the godfather of modern tattoo", for his sophistication, depth and sense of experimentation. California native Don Ed Hardy is recognized around the world for his technical brilliance and mesmerizing imagery. Don Ed Hardy pulls from life experience to meld American, Japanese, Cholo, tattoo, surf and hotrod iconography. This broad spectrum of taste and experience, coupled with an ongoing investigation of various art histories and a mastery of technique, give his work a unique range and depth.

Don Ed Hardy is a painter, printmaker and tattoo artist. 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.