If you are in your middle age, then there is a high chance for you to recall images of celebrities decked out in Von Dutch brand – and possibly you had at least one closet piece yourself.
The brand was unavoidable, whether it was Von Dutch trucker hats, Von Dutch shirts, or other Von Dutch clothing.
You could notice it on famous people like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Fred Durst, and other TRL celebrities. However, it has now completely vanished. So what happened to Von Dutch? Let’s find out.
Who is Von Dutch?
The rise and fall of Von Dutch dates back not to the year 2000 but the 1950s.
Before it was a big name, “Von Dutch” was the nickname of car and motorcycle designer Kenneth Howard, AKA Joe Lunch Box, born in 1929. At age 15, he began working as a repairman at a motorcycle shop.
But he would take motorcycles home to pinstripe them overnight. This was at a period when pinstriping was out of trend, but everyone took notice of Howard’s skill.
Soon, he quit being a mechanic at the shop and worked on pinstriping and painting full time.
Von Dutch’s respect for painting pinstripes and other designs on cars and motorcycles increased as he worked in several different shops.
He made a personal presentation at 1955 Motorama, where he stripped a 1927 Studebaker, and his fame went national at Car Craft in February 1956.
He died in 1992, but after a decade of his death, his name grew as one of the decade’s biggest brands, along with Ed Hardy. In the auto world, his art has won him the titles of “The Godfather Of Modern Day Pinstriping” and one of the fathers of “Kustom Kulture.”
But what is going on with Von Dutch today? You can find out with this list of things you didn’t know about Von Dutch.
Von Dutch Was Not A Rich Man
Kenneth “Von Dutch” Howard was legendary in the “Kustom Kulture” car world. But he didn’t get rich off of it. In an interview, he said,
“I make a point of staying right at the edge of poverty. I don’t have a pair of pants without a hole in them, and the only pair of boots I have are on my feet. I don’t mess around with unnecessary stuff, so I don’t need much money. I believe it’s meant to be that way.”
Von Dutch claimed to love what he did, which is why he could support himself doing it even while he was living and before his brand was universal.
He also clarified that you could only be genuinely prosperous if you appreciate what you’re doing. Years after his death, his name has become a money-making name that is still worn and touted by the rich.
Von Dutch’s Growth
Quickly after the Von Dutch store in Los Angeles opened, designer Christian Audigier found Britney Spears outside on the street and chased her down.
He schmoozed enough to the point where she was noticed in public with the brand. “Three weeks later,” he said, “she split with Justin Timberlake. They were in People magazine… her with the cap Von Dutch, was him with the cap Von Dutch, and Fred Durst who she was dating at the time with the t-shirt Von Dutch.”
Audigier added, “This is where the story started.”
Celebrities Supported Von Dutch In The 2000s
After the company Von Dutch Originals started, designer Christian Audigier brought the brand from hot rod enthusiasts to a mainstream audience.
And it accomplished, with people like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Lindsay Lohan seen wearing the brand.
In addition, Ashton Kutcher could almost always be seen wearing the hat on episodes of Punk’d. At its arguable climax in 2003, the company made over $33 million in sales.
The Most Popular Von Dutch Trucker Hats
Von Dutch makes apparel like jackets, T-shirts, and more, but the one item that took off in demand was their trucker hats.
For some reason, trendy celebrities in the early 2000s like Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, and Ashton Kutcher liked to dress up like truckers for over $100 a hat, and it became the company’s bread and butter.
However, all that exposure ultimately headed to a reaction against trucker hats in general, mainly Von Dutch. The trend looked to incline towards its decay as people observed the brand had a “douchebag” reputation.
Where to buy Von Dutch hats?
If you want to buy Von Dutch famous hats, you can visit their website. Von Dutch Official. These amazing high-quality products are available at big stores, including Amazon.
The Von Dutch Name Became Popular After His Death
The Von Dutch brand became uncool following the trucker hat explosion in the ’00s. Suddenly, in the 2010s, they made a recovery.
It seemed to begin when, throughout a single weekend in 2016, Kylie Jenner endorsed Von Dutch three times on Instagram and Snapchat. Around the same period, Von Dutch was starting up a new store in Los Angeles. Thanks to Kylie beginning the trend, many people were ready to give Von Dutch another opportunity.
Kylie Jenner endorsed Von Dutch three times on Instagram
Von Dutch’s Demand Fell Again After Christian Audigier Left
Christian Audigier was making a name for himself as Von Dutch’s leading designer. Christian Audigier was involved in the brand so much that he desired the company to modify its name to “Von Dutch by Christian Audigier.”
When the company refused, he left to create shirts for Ed Hardy. And similar to Von Dutch before it, Ed Hardy also came in the limelight in fame, most memorably consumed by reality star Jon Gosselin. As Ed Hardy’s fame grew, Von Dutch came into decline.
However, Ed Hardy ultimately decayed as well. Audigier died in 2015 at age 57.
There Was A Von Dutch Energy Drink
The Von Dutch brand was inescapable in the 2000s. Energy drinks also encountered a massive surge in demand around this time.
In 2005, destiny forced these two worlds to hit, and Rockstar made their own Von Dutch energy drink. If you are expecting to get your hands on some, you may have some real challenges, as it’s been stopped producing their products.
