Kenny Howard
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Kenneth Graeme Howard (September 7, 1929–September 19, 1992), also known as Dutch, Von Dutch or J.L. Bachs (Joe Lunch Box), was a motorcycle mechanic, eccentric, artist, pinstriper, metal fabricator, knifemaker, and gunsmith. His father, Wally Howard, was a well-respected Los Angeles sign painter and by the age of ten, the young Kenny Howard was able to paint and letter at a professional level. Money was something he detested. In this quote from a 1965 article Dutch explains his thoughts on money.
| “ | I make a point of staying right at the edge of poverty. I don't have a pair of pants without a hole in them, and the only pair of boots I have are on my feet. I don't mess around with unnecessary stuff, so I don't need much money. I believe it's meant to be that way. There's a 'struggle' you have to go through, and if you make a lot of money it doesn't make the 'struggle' go away. It just makes it more complicated. If you keep poor, the struggle is simple. | ” |
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[edit] Education
While attending Compton High School, Von Dutch excelled in track and field and was referred to as "the fastest man in LA." Von Dutch had an appreciation for music and was also an accomplished flautist.
[edit] Work
In the early 1950s he started earning money by doing pin striping along with fellow pin striper Dean Jeffries.[1] Von Dutch was a major influence in the customizing of vehicles in the 1950s to today. Some of his famous works include the flying eyeball and the custom Kenford truck[1], along with numerous custom motorcycles and many award-winning custom cars. Among many custom car and motorcycle enthusiasts, he is thought of as one of the fathers of Kustom Kulture.
In 1958, Von Dutch designed and produced the "Mare's Leg", a cut-down Winchester rifle for the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive.
[edit] Death
Dutch lived life hard and his mode of living eventually caught up with him, and he developed a stomach abscess. He didn't like doctors, but towards the end, the pain got so bad, he finally saw a doctor. By then it was too late. Dutch died on the 19th. of September, 1992, leaving behind his two daughters, Lisa and Lorna. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific.
[edit] Von Dutch corporation
After his heirs sold his name to a Japanese clothing company called Ueno Shokai, who started marketing and designing clothing with Von Dutch's trademarked symbol and name, the company sold the brand to Danish Kick Boxing Champion, Tonny Sorensen, who turned it into a global empire. The Von Dutch corporation has also used the Von Dutch logo on accessories, although today the line focuses on the art of Kenny Howard and the uniqueness of outsider artists in general.
The Von Dutch company is now a multinational lifestyle brand and clothing company widely recognized for getting product placement of their clothing on famous movie stars and music performers both male and female. The Von Dutch label has thus become almost synonymous with celebrity fashion.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ St. Antoine, Arthur. - "Interview: Dean Jeffries, Hollywood legend". - Motor Trend Magazine
