Christian Audigier

Bio:
Christian Audigier (born Christian Ginutti on May 21, 1958 in Avignon, France) was a French fashion designer. Christian began working in the fashion industry as a teenager, designing a line of denim inspired by his love for rock and roll. His work was so popular that an executive for MacKeen Jeans offered the young man a chance to create with the company. Accepting the offer, Christian traveled the world and became a star within the organization. In his early twenties, Christian relocated to New York City to form his own company. He also freelanced for some of the biggest names in the denim industry, including Guess, American Outfitters and Levi’s. Christian moved to Los Angeles to continue his success as a fashion designer. In 2002, Christian began working with the Von Dutch fashion line, making their brand of trucker hats a hit. He left the brand in 2004. Christian licensed the rights to Ed Hardy in 2005. Like with Von Dutch, Christian marketed the line directly to celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Jamie Foxx. Though Christian’s actions made Ed Hardy a household name, the brand collapsed under his watch in 2010. Christian sold his company and its licenses in 2011, and spent the next years travelling the world and spending time with his family. In January 2015, Christian was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone cancer. Despite efforts to fight the disease, Christian passed away on July 9, 2015.

Best Known For:
Christian Audigier is best known as a designer, having brought the Von Dutch hats and Ed Hardy brand to international success.

Personal Life:
Christian was married to Ira Audigier. They had four children together: daughter Crystal and sons Dylan, Rocco and Vito. He was separated from her at the time of the death and was known for dating Brazilian model, Nathalie Sorensen. Christian was a fan of motorcycles and the rock and roll lifestyle associated with his fashion sense.