Christian Audigier(1958-2015)

Audigier grew up in poor and socially disadvantaged circumstances. He finished school without a qualification. He made his first steps in the fashion world as a salesman and later as a jeans designer. After initial economic success, he worked for several major labels such as Diesel, Lee and Levi's from the mid-1970s, after which he settled in Los Angeles, USA. In 1999 he became chief designer for Von Dutch. Within just a few years, the company became a globally operating fashion brand. He set a fashion trend, especially with the so-called Von Dutch baseball caps, actually trucker hats. The caps alone generated sales of $260 million. The biker brand also received a lot of media attention thanks to prominent wearers such as Madonna, Mike Tyson and Bill Clinton. In addition, Christian Audigier concentrated on his own fashion line.

Meanwhile, the American tattoo artist and fashion designer Donald Ed Hardy founded the fashion label Ed Hardy in 2002, which was licensed by the Christian Audigier label in 2004. Inspired by white trash and rock'n'roll fashion, Christian Audigier created unusual and colorful designs with a vintage look. He combined these with tattoo motifs from the workshop of Donald Ed Hardy, who had since retired. The Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier label became one of the most successful fashion brands of the decade. The casual to provocative style brought him buyers in all age groups. In 2008, Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier had annual sales of $300 million. Audigier's other projects included Smet in collaboration with Johnny Hallyday, his daughter Crystal's Crystal Rock label and the Christian Audigier label. In addition, accessories such as sunglasses, bags, bed linen, perfume and energy drinks were also released from the Ed Hardy series.

Christian Audigier died on July 9, 2015 at the age of 57 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from complications of myelodysplastic syndrome.