Fashion Fad No. 523

One of the stupidest fashion trends in recent memory, Ed Hardy, is in full swing.

Walk through any mall in America, watch any reality show featuring at least one person trying to look cool, or go to any bar in the country that caters to the college crowd, and you're sure to find at least one person wearing an overpriced screen print that looks like it belongs on the dollar rack in the back corner of a Wal-Mart.

Ed Hardy is a clothing line by French designer Christian Audigier. Audigier is already responsible for one of the more ridiculous fashion statements in the past 137 years, the exceedingly lame cocked trucker hat with a giant Von Dutch logo. Well he's back, with another trend that pushes the envelope of foolishness.

Technically Audigier did not create the brand out of the blue. He actually licensed the rights to produce clothing based on the images of renowned tattoo artist Ed Hardy (the name had to come from somewhere). Hardy is known for using Japanese influences in his work.

It is impossible to date with any amount of specificity when a fashion trend starts, but in the past year and a half or so Audigier's Ed Hardy line of clothing has become ubiquitous among fledgling hipsters. Any self-respecting tool with more than three emo-inspired tattoos has to own at least one Ed Hardy shirt to save face among the desperately seeking cool crowd.

There are two reasons why this fashion trend is idiotic. Three, if you count the shirts that look like a Bedazzler threw up on them.

Here's the first reason. The designs on the shirts look like something a hungover graphic arts major comes up with ten minutes before an assignment is due. Flaming skulls, swords, random vines, roses, knives, tigers and other symbols popular among the 11-13 age group predominate.

Ten years ago these designs would be the object of ridicule, something the unfortunate kid at school had to wear because it was the only thing on the rack at Goodwill. Somehow these designs pass for fashion today.

But here's the main reason Ed Hardy is lame: price. A typical shirt, which doesn't look like it could last more than 20 loads, costs around $100. For a t-shirt. If you belong to the overly gullible crowd, there's also jeans, hats (truckers, of course), sweaters and shoes to blow your money on.

By definition fashion trends are fleeting. Audigier's Ed Hardy designs will be on the clearance racks before Christmas, and on some unfortunate kid's back within five years. Where it belongs.

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