Popular French designer Christian Audigier, who created Ed Hardy and Von Dutch, has died at 57 years old after being diagnosed with bone cancer in January.
Audigier told TMZ that he had myelodysplastic syndrome, a lethal bone marrow disease that “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts also battled in 2012.
Audigier’s friend and publicist, Michele Elyzabeth, spoke to CNN about his passing, revealing that he had been repeatedly visiting the hospital recently for cancer treatments, but he finally succumbed to the disease at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
“I just heard the news and I am truly devastated. Christian was an incredibly brilliant man. He will be missed,” Elyzabeth told LATF USA.
Audigier had worked with several fashion lines, including Guess, Levi’s, XOXO, American Outfitters, and Diesel. But his most notable work came from his Ed Hardy and Von Dutch apparel.
Von Dutch trucker hats were a staple of the early 2000s and were made popular by celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher and Lindsay Lohan. The name of the brand came from artist Kenny Howard, also know as Von Dutch.
Colorful, yet dark-themed Ed Hardy apparel has also long been a hit among young crowds. The tattoo artist from which the brand was derived, Don Ed Hardy, had sued Audigier for allegedly not following terms on their licensed agreement. The suit was settled in 2009.
Both brands are available in over 40 countries.
Audigier also had an infamous fall-out with reality television star Jon Gosselin. The two were friends, having vacationed together and even planned to create a clothing line. In 2013, TMZ caught the fashion mogul saying that he “hated” Gosselin, and although he did not disclose his sudden disdain, the gossip website noted that his sales hit a huge slump after the two began being seen together.
The designer died with a net worth of close to $250 million. He leaves behind a wife, one daughter and three sons.
