Type “Ed Hardy” into Google. Yeah , go ahead, I’ll wait. What do you see? Besides the apparel, you’ll find Ed hardy vodka, sparkling wine, celebrity endorsements, energy drinks, DINNERWARE?! Am I alone in this sentiment, reader, or do we have on our hands here a classic case of market oversaturation?
{Ed hardy air fresheners, camping gear, tea, tanning products, pet accessories, icing…}
I digress.
Ed Hardy the man had a much more respectable history. An American tattoo artist from Iowa, he was born in 1945 as Don Ed Hardy and raised in Southern California. Ed was a pupil of tattoo pioneer Sailor Jerry and is recognized for his Japanese tattoo aesthetic and technique. Turns out instead of a chance to attend Yale, Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins rather entrusted his name and artwork to a very special duo: Mike Malone, and you guessed it, Don Ed Hardy.
What Ed Hardy has become now is somewhat of an illusion to pinpoint. In the midst of all the meaningless commercial items his licensee produces, are A to Z list celebrities dutifully sporting the line. They include:
Ed Hardy designer Christian Audigier and rapper Ja Rule
Singer Christina Milan (notice the tacky “buy now” on both pics. See what I’m sayin’?
Heidi Klum (and son)
In my own circle, I’ve only seen Ed Hardy worn twice, and it was from the daughter of a wealthy family, and some d-bag at my school who, aviator shades and all, turned his nose up at the world while walking past people. Not a good look. This of course doesn’t mean everyone who wears it is like that…just saying.
I’m a little more happy about the Ed Hardy jackets, since I’m such a jacket fanatic, although I think the line is too busy for me generally. Nevertheless, check this one out:
Me personally, I’d rather get an actual tattoo by Ed Hardy:
OK maybe I wouldn’t go that far but it’s absolutely stunning detail where it counts.
You won’t catch me dead in most of the clothes, but I’m only one opinion. Maybe (and hopefully) Christian Audigier steps his game up and puts out some stuff that a wider audience can embrace. LRG comes to mind, Enyce, (whatever happened to Avirex? I loved their jackets..)
But moving on, what do you, reader, think about Ed Hardy? Do you own any of his clothes? Do you find the clothes wearable? Affordable? Do you think that this brand is for a certain type of consumer”?
Let’s hear it!
