Over the years, Ed Hardy clothing line has become more and more popular. As we all know, Ed Hardy brand was founded by the godfather of tattoo art--Don Ed Hardy, but you can not ignore another people-- Christian Audigier.
Celebrity Hollywood designer Christian Audigier is all over Paris this week, talk-of-the-town in the media, splashed on buses and looking out from giant billboards placed at strategic fashion hot-spots. Christian Audigier--The self-made multi-millionaire with the Midas touch is out to tackle his last frontier --conquering his native France. France is the world's toughest market to crack, they're experts, connoisseurs, and he told AFP. "I had to make it in America before I could return home." Audigier could well be dubbed the Cinderella of fashion. A poor boy from southern France who dropped out of school and became a shop assistant, the 51-year-old friend to Michael Jackson and a host of other VIPs, currently estimates his worth at a cool 250 million dollars. "I am proud of my history," admits a smiling Audigier as a driver dusts down his luxury Maybach limousine.
In Paris this week, he opened a four-storey showroom, bought a flat on one of the city's posher streets, rolled out his lines at a key fashion event -- and confirmed his purchase of Michael Jackson's last LA home for more than 30 million dollars. A film he loaned a prime TV network shows Jackson at Audigier's 50th birthday saying "You're a wonderful human being and the King of Fashion." When he first arrived in Los Angeles in 2000, Audigier was a 40-something nobody who had lived in France and Bali and had a taste for fashion. "I had talent but didn't exploit it properly, I used it to survive and live a peaceful life," he said. "But when I arrived in the United States, I had to get down to work."
In 2004, he branched out on his own with a line inspired by Californian tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy. Learning from the Spears-Timberlake episode, he sent out clothes to stars and used the paparazzi, hotel and restaurant staff to spread the word. "Americans, who then dressed very conservative and very corporate, liked the colour and my European twist," he said. "And marketing the brands through celebrities who are known worldwide was how I operated." Before long his flamboyant streetwear was a hot favourite with Hollywood stars. He boasted Madonna, Mariah Carey, Sylvester Stallone, Puff Daddy and Kanye West among his clients.
Audigier continues to send designs to stars for free, occasionally hitting the jackpot, such as when Madonna wore an Ed Hardy t-shirt trip to Malawi to adopt a little boy. Could he have made a similar fortune overnight in France? "No. France is a very small country with celebrities who are lesser known worldwide. ""It is the immensity of the country in the US that gives you the chance to expand a brand.
Generally speaking, Christian Audigier made a great contribution to Ed Hardy clothing. Whether Don Ed Hardy or Christian Audigier, we all thank them.
Internet reference: http://www.edhardyclass.com/celebrity-designer-conquer-native-france/
Editor: Rowlin
