Triple 925 silver Fleur De Lis buttons. 

Words by Goat:

Chrome Hearts was founded in 1988 in Los Angeles, California by Richard Stark, John Bowman and master silversmith Leonard Kamhout. Steeped in biker-gang and rock ‘n’ roll culture, the three originally started the business to produce leather jackets and sterling silver jewelry better suited to their personal tastes. Motifs such as crosses and fleur-de-lis defined the brand’s early aesthetic, as did leather jackets adorned with silver hardware and decorative details. Production was (and still is) handled almost exclusively in the City of Angels.

Just a year after the brand’s launch, Chrome Hearts was tapped to create costumes for the comedy-horror Chopper Chicks in Zombietown; one of the film’s actresses would soon introduce her then-boyfriend, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols to the brand. Co-signs from Mötley Crüe and Guns ‘n’ Roses came soon after, helping Chrome Hearts establish itself as a go-to label for premium hair-metal attire. In 1992, Chrome Hearts cemented its status as more than just the flavor of the month, winning the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Award (Stark was presented the award by Cher, who was dressed in a full Chrome Hearts ensemble). 

Like other rising American designers, however, Stark didn’t consider himself a designer, a position he maintained throughout the ’90s, eschewing traditional fashion calendar schedules and producing whatever interested his own personal tastes. Nonetheless, not long after receiving the CFDA Award, Stark bought Bowman and Kamhout out. Since then, Chrome Hearts has been helmed by Stark, his wife Laurie Lynn, and increasingly, their three children.

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