In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, I’ll just let you know that the tattoo industry is worth a whole lot of money. A whole lot. We tend to forget exactly how much when for the majority of us, the tattoo industry is little more than the handful of locals we know down on such and such street who tattoo for a living. And while that is the heart of the industry and the most realistic aspect of the industry, it doesn’t change the fact that there are some big players attached to tattooing.
Probably the biggest tattoo name that I can think of in terms of actual revenue gained is Ed Hardy. Ed Hardy’s clothing line has become more widely known and famous than his actual tattoo work in some circles. It’s the clothing brand that people love to hate and which many nightclubs and bars have firmly etched onto their doormen’s “clothing not permitted” lists. Why? Because it’s tacky as shit.
All that however, is beside the point. Especially when it comes to Iconix Brand Group, who recently paid a whopping $55 Million for 85% of the worldwide master license for the Ed Hardy brand. Tacky or not, that’s some serious scratch. The remaining 15% of the company belongs to Ed Hardy himself, who has very little to do with the actual production of Ed Hardy products.
‘“We are excited to be able to utilize our marketing and licensing expertise to reenergize the Ed Hardy brand. The brand has an extremely high level of consumer awareness in the United States as well as very strong international business,” Neil Cole, Iconix’s chairman and chief executive, said in a statement.
New York–based Iconix, whose stable of brands includesCandie’s, Joe Boxer, Bongo, Rampage, Mossimo, Ocean Pacific, Roca Wear and Badgley Mischka, announced the acquisition on April 27. It expects the Ed Hardy brand to generate $15 million to $16 million a year in royalty payments.’
Let that be a lesson to all of you aspiring tattooists out there. Work hard, get plenty of rest, eat well, exercise and one day you too might be able to start a company with your name attached to it, which a massive corporation will then purchase for millions of dollars and which you’ll have no control over.
Don’t let the dream die!