Authentic Ed Hardy® faceplates for iPhones and Blackberry mobile devices are now on sale at 1100 Office Depot locations. Additionally, the products are available on-line at www.edhardyclothes.uk.com, and www.bestbuy.com, keyword: ED HARDY. Ed Hardy rhinestone decals can be found at Office Depot stores, as well as 340 ULTA stores across the nation.

“We are excited to bring these products directly to our customers in stores that they already know and love,” said Wasim Khaled, CEO of Crystal Icing and LuxMobile Group. “Both ULTA and Office Depot are fantastic companies that we are happy to partner with.”

Crystal Icing(TM) is the global leader in Fashion Accessories for Your Mobile Lifestyle. Founded in 2005, by Gina Smith and Wasim Khaled, the company is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y. and holds the worldwide exclusive license to design, manufacture, and distribute for Ed Hardy® brand in the category of mobile accessories. Crystal Icing also holds license rights for designer mobile accessories and cosmetics for the Romero Britto, Betty Boop® and Marilyn Monroe brands. Crystal Icing specializes in custom one-of-a-kind items Crystallized with Swarovski Elements for an extensive list of celebrity clients including Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Jennifer Lopez. The company has also created limited edition and signature products for corporations such as T-Mobile, Sharpie, Sony Records, Gibson Guitars, Nintendo and many more. Crystal Icing currently distributes their product lines in over 30 countries worldwide. For additional information visit www.edhardys.uk.com.

ed hardy shot

The San Francisco-based artist was in town over the weekend to promote his new book, Beyond Skin, at Wacko/La Luz de Jesus. And we decided to drop by, just to see who else would show up.

We were surprised by the stream of admirers that trickled in. Not a single one of them wore anything Ed Hardy. That we kinda expected. But what really surprised us was that very few of them even had tattoos.

Ed Hardy, the man, is everything Ed Hardy, the brand, is not. The man is affable and thoughtful, a shrewd historian who’s actually a bit on the quiet side. We’re guessing he’s in his 50s or maybe early 60s, and he is the very picture of avuncular: sporting a thick mop of graying curls, a button-up shirt, and a cardigan (but also with some very aggressive black tattoos creeping out from under his collar). No rhinestones, no fleece, no painted denim. Really a charming bloke.

So likable, in fact, we had a hard time asking him what he thought about his name being licensed to hell and back. Seriously, if you haven’t noticed, Ed Hardy is on everything from energy drinks to auto air fresheners to diapers (ok, diaperbags, but you know someone’s thought about it). But when we queried him, he very diplomatically responded, “I’m just glad that my designs get to shine on, and people appreciate them.”

PARIS — Taking the designer hotel concept a step further, designer and entrepreneur Christian Audigier is out to apply the same brash rock ’n’ roll formula he’s used to build his fashion empire to the French all-inclusive resort concept Club Med.

Audigier said Friday he plans to use his celebrity connections to heat up Club Med’s image and draw more traffic to its 80 resorts worldwide. Audigier’s proposal is likely to be tested out first in Club Med’s North American centers following a meeting with Club Med chief executive officer Henri Giscard d’Estaing in January, said Hubert Guez, chief executive of Audigier’s Ed Hardy brand. Guez added the designer also would likely be involved in “spiffing up” Club Med’s boutiques and products.

If tests are successful, Audigier plans to invest 10 million euros, or about $15 million at current exchange, in Club Med, Guez said.

“Club Med is a French institution so I’m really happy to get involved. It’s a family resort, so any celebrities with children are welcome to come along,” said Audigier.

Having burst onto the fashion scene earlier in the decade as designer of Von Dutch Originals, the French native last month opened a sprawling showroom here with a view to rev up business on his home turf for his various labels.

The Ed Hardy group owns five main brands, comprising its namesake line and the Christian Audigier, Smet, Paco Chicano and Crystal Rock brands, and operates 60 licenses. Guez forecasts sales generated by Ed Hardy brands in 2009 will reach almost $400 million.

Designer Cleansers

Ed Hardy, most recently known for appearing on slacker dad and womanizer Jon Gosselin (of TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8 fame). Despite the fact that this has been a big part of the clothing brand’s most recent publicity (sadly), the Ed Hardy Company is expanding to market a product that is currently highly in demand.

Ed Hardy Hand Sanitizer

The most recent addition to the Ed Hardy line has nothing to do with clothing; it’s a designer line of hand sanitizers which allows the brand to market themselves towards the growing concern surrounding the approaching flu season and the H1N1 virus. The cleansing products are available in two different sized bottles, a foaming stick, or pens that dispense the sanitizing gel. Each have a unique design, inspired by tattoo art that Ed Hardy is known for, and they do come with a designer price tag at $3 to $13 per bottle, so they’re best suited for the health conscious with money to burn!

Ed Hardy clothing is a great example of branding that can expand their market and appeal; a necessary move in a time of economic uncertainty.