Los Angeles luxury label Chrome hearts has become a familiar sight on the instagram explore page, and after many a celebrity co-sign – from Drake and Lil Uzi Vert to Kylie Jenner and The Migos – the brand transcends mere garmenture and signifies a level of “fuck you money” and social standing few can boast. For the uneducated or un-knowing this may seem like a whirlwind rise to success, a trend if you would, but fact of the matter is that Chrome Hearts was created in 1988 as a brand for celebrities. Leather jackets decked out with sterling silver, and a seemingly endless, eclectic mix of accessories, Chrome Hearts was featured in the Sex Pistols’ wardrobe before Kylie Jenner and Offset were even born.
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Establishing itself as the uniform for rockstars in the 90’s, this had a drip-down effect on the fashion world, but founder Stark managed to resist this as much as possible; no seasonal calendar of releases, nearly turning down a CFDA award in ‘92, with Stark dubbed as “the antidesigner” by the Japan times in ‘99. Some of the brand’s most recognisable pieces come by way of obscure accessories decked out in their iconic and opulent design sensibilities, never missing an opportunity to throw in sterling silver and gothic typography.
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From a solid silver Rubiks Cube and the now commonplace trucker cap, to a decadent, obnoxious, yet undeniably “cool” Rolls Royce custom made specifically for Drake himself, the offering is endless, fun and often plain humorous. $6000 toilet plungers aside, the brand is in a position to expand and conquer the mainstream, but Stark’s defiance of standard business norms and the fashion scene’s “do’s and don’t’s” truly make the brand what is it today – an irreplaceable and uncategorizable powerhouse that has, and continues to, carve its own lane and do whatever it wants, whenever it wants.
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