Chrome Hearts Photography book by Richard Stark
Published by Green Arrow Publications
October 1997
By: Andrew Yi/@Anzhu_yi
Though Chrome Hearts has gained fame and notoriety within the fashion world, information regarding the brand’s history (let alone its founder, Richard Stark) is sparse. A Chrome Hearts photography book published by Green Arrow publications in October 1997 and released in Japan, features a hand-written letter by Richard Stark, detailing his life and Chrome Heart’s early history.
Stark was born on May 19th, 1960 in Utica, New York. After moving to California at the age of 18, he painted houses and studied architecture. Stark apprenticed with an architect builder, learning building and woodworking while simultaneously stocking leather for his boss's father’s leather importing company. For the next few years, Stark would work as a leather importer , making leather garments for his friends on the side. In his letter, Stark recounts in October 1988, “One sedated eve, my favorite design was conceived - I called it Chrome Hearts.”
Chrome Hearts opened in March of 1989 designing the costume of the 1989 comedy horror film “Chopper Chicks in ZombieTown” followed by a collaboration with Steve Jones, the guitarist of the legendary British Punk-rock band the Sex Pistols.Three years later in 1992, Stark received the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers) award, to which he wrote, “Never heard of it.” Stark concludes the letter with a motto: “Chrome don’t get you home, but Chrome Hearts will get you somewhere that makes you feel like yer home.”
See: https://www.instagram.com/p/CSDL_54JoC8/
THIS lame story grossly misrepresents the tue genesis of Chrome Hearts.
I am horrified by this writer’s total disregard for the brilliant work of Richard’s partner, THE designer, Leonard Khamhout, who is/was a MASTER metalsmith and THE true artist/designer of everything which this business is founded upon.
Leonard Khamhout, is solely responsible for the ChromeHearts vision. Leonard’s designs are today,
as they were at the beginning, the spinal chord of Chrome Hearts. If it were not for Leonard Khamhout jewelry creations there would be no Chrome Hearts today. Leonard won their first CFDA Best Accessory award for the business with his designs which Richard brilliantly merchancised. The CFDA Life Time Achievement award 2022 goes to the work of Leonard Kahmhout without which there would be n company today.
It is a travesty to not include Leonard.