Christian Audigier French fashion designer and entrepreneur. Date of Birth: 21.05.1958 Country: France

Christian Audigier: A French Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur

Christian Audigier is a renowned French fashion designer and entrepreneur. He gained worldwide recognition after creating the tattoo-inspired clothing line for 'Ed Hardy'. Born and raised in Avignon, France, Christian first became involved in the fashion world as a teenager, working as a salesperson in one of Avignon's boutiques.

However, Christian quickly made his ambitions known, and his marketing campaign significantly boosted the sales of denim products. The success caught the attention of 'Mac Keen Jeans', and some of the company's executives personally visited Avignon to meet with the young prodigy. At the age of just 15, Christian became the official designer for 'Mac Keen Jeans'.

During his teenage years, Christian also worked as a designer for Elio Fiorucci, where he earned the nickname 'King of Jeans'. After gaining experience with various major companies, Christian established his own firm called 'Christian Audigier and His Gang'. This group provided services to over 100 prominent fashion labels such as 'Diesel', 'Levi's', and 'Lee'.

After achieving success in Avignon, Christian moved to Los Angeles, where he collaborated with 'Von Dutch Originals'. It was during this creative partnership that the iconic 'truck driver' caps became fashionable. In 2004, Christian left 'Von Dutch' and founded the group 'Ed Hardy'. He developed a special line of clothing based on the classic tattoos of Don Ed Hardy, one of the first foreigners to study the ancient art of tattooing under the renowned Japanese master, Horihide.

The success of 'Ed Hardy' paved the way for Christian to launch several other brands, including 'Christian Audigier', 'Crystal Rock' (named after his daughter Crystal Audigier), 'Smet' (inspired by French superstar Johnny Hallyday), 'Rock Fabulous' (co-created with Dave Stewart from 'Eurythmics'), 'Paco Chicano', and 'Vif Speed Shop'. However, his redesigned 'Cadillac Escalade' line received criticism for being too flamboyant.

Christian's notable project, the 'Audigier Brand Management Group', is a licensing group that analyzes various consumer goods categories, not just clothing. In 2008, he launched his own trade show called 'When I Move You Move' in Las Vegas. The event showcased hundreds of kiosks featuring only Audigier's brands and a series of ambitious projects.

Rumors circulated for a long time that Christian planned to launch a new clothing line with the late Michael Jackson. However, due to the singer's untimely death, these plans remained rumors. Christian confirmed that he had been working on a brand that would have suited Michael's tastes, including fashionable t-shirts, hoodies, and caps.