Spring / Summer Fashion Preview: The Ed Hardy Collection

When it comes to big name fashion, if that's the kind of thing you're into, the Ed Hardy collection should definately ring a bell. Whether it's the unique, tattoo-driven hats, or the funky deck canvas slip-ons, Ed Hardy's clothing is bold and visually appealing.

This may, however, (depending on your taste) prove to be a little too bold and perhaps a little too appealing. Whereas many of the designs could easily be toned down, this is a California company, where big image dominates the catwalk as ubiquitously as smog dominates the west coast troposphere.

Ed Hardy's designs feature bold colors with solid uses of line. The images feature many contemporary examples of the aforementioned tattoo designs. In fact, every single piece of the Ed Hardy Spring collection features a tattoo.

So, what if you have a tattoo? Didn't Ed Hardy take this into account? Or do the designers at Ed Hardy actually expect someone to wear tattoos on both their skin and their clothing? Does this imply that tattooed customers should try their hardest to match the tattoos on their bodies with designs etched into their hats, shoes, and shirts?

But for many, Ed Hardy clothing can come as a (seemingly) painless alternative to actually getting a tattoo themselves, including celebrities like Madonna, Lil John, ad nauseam. You can actually view the celebrity gallery yourself via the donedhardy.com link at the Ed Hardy homepage. There are videos there too, with everything from catwalks to morning news spots with anchors 'donning' Ed Hardy.

So, it's evident that Ed Hardy remains dominant in its manipulation of the image. But the real question remains, how much longer can this go on? While some may say that Ed Hardy's visual appeal/ funkiness is a timeless representation of an aesthetic, it is arguable that the whole Ed Hardy collection itself is simply a dying trend, and an emulator of Von Dutch designs.