Christian Audigier Net Worth

What was Christian Audigier's Net Worth?

Christian Audigier was a French fashion designer who had a net worth of $250 million. Christian Audigier was best known for popularizing the Von Dutch and Ed Hardy fashion brands in the 2000s. He also released a line of fine wines and was a part-owner of a nightclub in Las Vegas's Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. Unfortunately, Christian Audigier died on July 9, 2015, at the age of 57 from a type of bone cancer.

Early Life

Christian Audigier was born on May 21, 1958, in Avignon, France.

Fashion Career

Audigier started working in the fashion industry when he was just 15 years old. Heavily influenced by a love of rock and roll, he designed a line of denim that went on to become very popular. Eventually, a prominent executive from MacKeen Jeans caught wind of his talents and offered him a job with the company. In his early 20s, Audigier moved to New York City and worked with such brands as Guess, Levi's, XOXO, and Diesel.

He enjoyed his greatest career success after moving to Los Angeles. There, in the early 2000s, Audigier joined the fashion brand Von Dutch and helped turn it into a major name in celebrity fashion. Notably, he designed the popular Von Dutch trucker hat, which was worn by such celebrities as Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake. The brand hit the peak of its popularity in 2003, with sales upwards of $33 million. Audigier left Von Dutch on amicable terms in 2007.

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In 2005, Audigier licensed the worldwide rights to the fashion brand Ed Hardy, which was created by American tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy. Using the marketing strategies employed at Von Dutch, he helped popularize Ed Hardy by selling to top celebrity clients and opening stores in eminent fashion districts around the world. With Sarah Larson as the face of the brand, Audigier led Ed Hardy to the height of its popularity in 2009, when it had a gross revenue of over $700 million. However, the brand collapsed precipitously over the subsequent two years, resulting in several store closures. This failure was largely pinned on Audigier's creative decisions, such as his choice to excessively print his name on Ed Hardy items. In 2010, Hardy himself regained control of the brand, and in 2011 Audigier sold his licensing rights to Iconix Brand Management Group.

Other Endeavors

Beyond fashion, Audigier released a line of fine wines in collaboration with France's Montpeyroux Estates in 2008. The bottles featured labels with classic Ed Hardy designs. Elsewhere, Audigier was a partner in a nightclub in Las Vegas's Treasure Island Hotel and Casino. The nightclub shut down in 2010. In 2012, Audigier appeared in an episode of the Swedish reality competition television show "Top Model Sverige."

Personal Life and Death

Audigier had four children named Crystal, Dylan, Rocco, and Vito. He lived in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles.

In early 2015, Audigier was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer. He passed away that July at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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