Before Ed Hardy became a rhinestone-covered phenomenon, it began with a man — Don Ed Hardy, a classically trained artist who revolutionized the tattoo world long before he became a household name in the fashion game.
Hardy grew up fascinated by tattoos but initially decided that fine art was his vibe, earning a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in the '60s. While hopping from job to job, a young Hardy met a series of mentors who would directly influence his eventual tattooing style.
One was "Sailor Jerry" Collins, a legendary American tattoo artist who introduced Hardy to the traditions of Japanese tattooing. This philosophy would not only rock Hardy's world and inspire a career change but become the framework of his unapologetic, bold designs.
In the '70s, Hardy traveled to Japan to apprentice under tattoo master Horihide, becoming one of the first Americans to formally study traditional Japanese tattoo art. Hardy became obsessed with the refined, narrative-driven style of Japanese body art, which treats the body as a living canvas that can be transformed to express one's individual nature.
Ed Hardy's history would lead him to develop a one-of-a-kind "East meets West" tattoo motif, which would become integral to his fashion designs. He combined the flowing style and thick, line-driven art of Japanese traditional tattooing with standard American sailor motifs like skulls, daggers and hearts. These designs would become unmistakable calling cards of the Ed Hardy brand when the tattoo professional made the leap to fashion with the help of designer Christian Audigier.
