Darrell Satzman
Issue: June 30, 2003
IT'S amazing what hanging around in the right crowd can do for you.
Until about six months ago, Tonny Sorensen was struggling with his three-year-old Von Dutch clothing line. Then all of a sudden Von Dutch caps, T-shirts and jeans began showing up on style mavens like Britney Spears, Lil' Kim, Fred Durst, Rachel Hunter and others. A streaker at the U.S. Open golf tournament in May had a Von Dutch sweatshirt tied around her waist.
There is now a franchised Von Dutch store in Beverly Hills, with others planned for New York, Las Vegas and in Europe. Meanwhile, boutiques from Paris to Providence, R.I. are now carrying the brand.
"From minus $3 million last year it's probably going to be a $20 million company this year," said Sorensen, a native of Copenhagen and a former Tae Kwon Do world champion. "I'm overwhelmed."
So why would a Dane name start a company called Von Dutch? The company is named after legendary Southern California artist and grease monkey Von Dutch (aka Kenny Howard), who attracted a devoted following between the 1950s and 1970s pinstriping and customizing vintage cars and motorcycles.
Sorensen, who was souping up his 1965 Cadillac DeVille in a Melrose garage, purchased the trademark for the Von Dutch name from the garage owner, who had licensed it from the artist's daughters.
Von Dutch now offers everything from trucker style caps ($35) to custom-made jeans (up to $1,500).
"It started in L.A. and now it's definitely moved to other cities," said Tommy Reid, manager of Montana Avenue boutique Patrick Reid, and brother of actress Tara Reid, an early Von Dutch devotee. "It's a very trendy line because of the celebrities."
I was wondering what was going on with all those trucker dudes in the EV this summer. I wouldnt have missed this trend if my tv was hooked up. Heres a time line for who got onboard first.
Gag me daddy-o. You dig?
"Sorensen [snip] purchased the trademark for the Von Dutch name from the garage owner, who had licensed it from the artist's daughters."
I don't know much about this stuff but the above makes it sound like they might not have gotten much. Unless the the licensing runs out and he want's to renue. But by then it might not be all the rage anymore.
cheers, heres to the legacy
Von Dutch Rules!
Hello I am just wondering.... Does the person that started the Von Dutch line have a nickname... There are too many posers claiming to own the von dutch company... So tell me ladies and gents what the truth about the Von Dutch clothing ownership...
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- bill 10-29-2003 2:34 am
I was wondering what was going on with all those trucker dudes in the EV this summer. I wouldnt have missed this trend if my tv was hooked up. Heres a time line for who got onboard first.
- bill 10-29-2003 2:41 am [add a comment]
Gag me daddy-o. You dig?
- steve 11-01-2003 4:59 pm [add a comment]
2 true. i imagine vd would be gagging if he knew. i guess its good for his heirs though. i dont know for sure but i cant imagine that he was a terrific family provider durring his lifetime. the post is kind of an anatomy of a trend (XXX>>>>LA>>>>NYC>>>>XXX).
- bill 11-01-2003 7:26 pm [add a comment]
"Sorensen [snip] purchased the trademark for the Von Dutch name from the garage owner, who had licensed it from the artist's daughters."
I don't know much about this stuff but the above makes it sound like they might not have gotten much. Unless the the licensing runs out and he want's to renue. But by then it might not be all the rage anymore.
- steve 11-01-2003 11:54 pm [add a comment]
yeah, i dont know. but if its a license maybe some $ gets back to them when its renewed by the current holder.
- bill 11-01-2003 11:59 pm [add a comment]
looks like you were posting when I was editing.
Cheers.
- steve 11-02-2003 12:01 am [add a comment]
cheers, heres to the legacy
- bill 11-02-2003 12:21 am [add a comment]
Von Dutch Rules!
- D (guest) 11-27-2003 9:41 pm [add a comment]
Hello I am just wondering.... Does the person that started the Von Dutch line have a nickname... There are too many posers claiming to own the von dutch company... So tell me ladies and gents what the truth about the Von Dutch clothing ownership...
- Lost_in_space 12-11-2003 7:19 am [add a comment]