Von Dutch
 | |
| Industry | Men’s and women’s apparel and accessories |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Area served | Thailand, Brazil, Philippines, Italy |
| Products | Shirts, shorts, pants, jackets, shoes, hats, jeans, bags, eyewear, watches, and belts/buckles |
| Owner(s) | Royer Brands International S.a.r.l., Luxembourg |
| Parent | Groupe Royer S.A., France |
| Website | www.vondutch.com |
Von Dutch is an American multinational licensing company named after Kenny Howard, an artist and pinstriper of the Kustom Kulture movement. After Howard's death in 1992, his daughters sold the Von Dutch name to Michael Cassel and Robert Vaughn.[citation needed] The clothing brand gained popularity in the US and attracted the attention of celebrities such as Madonna, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and later Ashton Kutcher and Eric Church.
The French stylist Christian Audigier helped popularize the brand, and left it in 2004. The company was purchased in 2009 by Groupe Royer S.A., through its Luxembourg subsidiary Royer Brands International S.a.r.l. Groupe Royer is the largest shoe distributor in Europe and does distribution for brands such as Converse, New Balance, and Charles Jourdan.
The Von Dutch brand has licensees in Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, China, and Italy. The brand is headquartered in Los Angeles. The head Chief Executive Officer is Terry Hauss, the Brand Director is Olivier Mercier, and the Brand Assurance Manager is Pardeese Ehya.