Von Dutch is an American fashion label with a global presence that was named posthumously after Kenny Howard, a.k.a. “Von Dutch,” an American artist and pinstriper linked with the Kustom Kulture movement. Following Howard’s 1992 death, his daughters authorised Ed Boswell to manufacture Von Dutch-inspired items.
In 2000, Mike Cassell and Bobby Vaughn acquired the trademark rights. Christian Audigier, a French designer, assisted in the brand’s promotion in the early 2000s. Von Dutch was repurchased by Groupe Royer S.A. in 2009 via its Luxembourg company Royer brands International S.a.r.l.
In the United States, the clothing brand soon gained popularity, attracting celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Ashton Kutcher, and Eric Church.
Kenny Howard
Kenneth Robert Howard was an American motorcycle mechanic, artist, pinstriper, metal fabricator, knifemaker, and gunsmith. After Howard’s death, his daughters Lisa and Lorna inspired the clothing brand. They gave him the artistic title Von Dutch; “Dutch” was a family nickname for Howard since he was known for being “as stubborn as a Dutchman.”
Howard was an avid automobile and motorcycle enthusiast. Additionally, he created special effects for Hollywood films and provided consulting services for other period films. In 1955, at the 1955 Motorama, he spent 10 days stripping a 1927 Studebaker. Howard is now widely credited with inventing modern pin-striping.
He was well-known for his indifference to his work’s rights, referring to copyright and patent protection as a “ego trip.”
He sold his Von Dutch nickname to fellow pinstriper Steve Kafka for $5,000. Howard died in 1992 as a result of liver disease brought on by excessive drinking.
Origins of the company-
Ed Boswell, a Los Angeles-based art collector, began selling Von Dutch patches in the 1990s after receiving the Von Dutch trademark from Howard’s children. He met Michael Cassel, a former drug dealer, and professional surfer Bobby Vaughn at a trade show, and the three decided to create a firm together, first focused on a clothing line of garage-themed jeans and workwear.
Cassel and Vaughn subsequently acquired the company from Boswell and recruited entrepreneur and investor Tonny Srensen as CEO and investor.
Srensen hired Christian Audigier to design for the firm in 2002. Audigier pioneered the trucker hat, borrowing influence from historical Americana such as Marlon Brando’s motorcycle helmet in The Wild One.
Success-
The early 2000s were the heyday of the corporation. Von Dutch jackets, t-shirts, and, most notably, trucker hats have been seen on celebrities. Von Dutch’s career was aided by Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Audigier met Spears in Los Angeles in 2002 and convinced her to wear the label.
Soon after, Spears and Timberlake’s separation made national news, and they were seen on the cover of People magazine sporting Von Dutch trucker helmets. The attention contributed in the brand’s development, which finally began to sell.
Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Ashton Kutcher, and Beyoncé have all been seen wearing the $100 trucker hat. Kutcher was often seen wearing Von Dutch in the early 2000s, most notably on episodes of Punk’d. Von Dutch reached its height of success in 2003, when it sold more than $33 million worth of items.
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Behind-the-scenes of Tumult-
Srensen fired Vaughn and became sole owner in 2002. Additionally, he began demoting Cassel to the role of designer in favour of Audigier. Vaughn and Cassel developed open enmity against Srensen; at one point, Cassel hired the grandson of drug lord Pablo Escobar to scare him into selling his stake in the corporation for $500,000, which Srensen refused.
Meanwhile, Vaughn sought to force Cassel into relinquishing his business shares, accusing him of calling the police in response to his refusal.
Vaughn was arrested in February 2005 on first-degree murder charges after shooting and killing childhood friend Mark Rivas, whom he claimed struck him with a smashed bottle. He was acquitted in 2006.
Decline-
By the late 2000s, Von Dutch’s market share has plummeted due to trademark saturation and copying. In May 2004, Boswell, who was enraged with Cassel and Vaughn for buying him out of the firm just as it was achieving popularity, disclosed to the public a letter written by Howard in 1992, in which the late artist made various racist and antisemitic statements and expressed sympathy for Nazi Germany.
Despite the fact that Boswell had nothing to do with the clothing line, this letter effectively damaged the company’s remaining appeal; by 2004, the fashion press had derisively dubbed the brand “Von Douche.” [15] [18] Audigier left the business in 2007. In 2009, Sorenson sold the brand to Groupe Royer, a French footwear company. [19]
End Lines-
Von Dutch made a reappearance in 2016 after Kylie Jenner was seen wearing the brand’s iconic trucker hats, coats, and two-piece sets.
Von Dutch hired Ed Goldman as general manager in 2019, and he immediately began cultivating relationships with Los Angeles’ hip-hop community; rappers such as Travis Scott, Saweetie, and Megan Thee Stallion began wearing the brand on Instagram, and the company partnered with Young Thug to launch a streetwear collection in 2021.
Von Dutch was also a hit with Internet celebrities such as Emma Chamberlain and Addison Rae.
As of 2021, Earl Pickens will serve as executive director of design.
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