Street Fashion Meets the Godfather of the Modern Tattoo

It’s not surprising that the wildly popular Ed Hardy clothing brand has built such a fervent and loyal client base in the last number of years, with a celebrity following of more than 5,000 athletes, musicians and movie stars. Celebrities such as Madonna, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lenny Kravitz and Kanye West all wear this unique brand of street couture.

The distinctive Ed Hardy brand has enjoyed an unprecedented and meteoric rise since it was first started from the ground up in 2004 by Christian Audigier, street-savvy fashion designer and shrewd entrepreneur. Audigier, a native of Avignon in the South of France, harnessed his considerable design experience and business acumen to launch the Ed Hardy brand of clothing by collaborating with tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy, “the godfather of the modern tattoo”. By securing the exclusive rights to Hardy’s designs for the new brand, Christian Audigier not only succeeded in creating a new clothing line, but also gave birth to a unique brand of street couture.
The success of the clothing line is due in no small measure to Don Ed Hardy’s designs. With 40 years of tattooing experience, he is recognized around the world for his brilliant graphic imagery, drawing his inspiration from a melting pot of different cultures and artistic influences, as well as surfing and hotrod iconography.
With the popularity of the brand, there is very rarely an Ed Hardy sale, but occasionally there are bargains to be had.