Real Ed Hardy ? | How to Tell the difference

2009-01-05T13:39:00.001-08:00

SOME QUICK HINTS ON SPOTTING FAKES:

1. The higher the number of items available, the bigger the chance of getting a fake. Example: If you search for "Ed Hardy T-shirt" about 2,000 to 4,000 items will show up at any given moment on any given day. This is a clear indication of fakes being sold - the volume. So you have to really look into the item and the seller before making your purchase to be certain the item is actually authentic.
2. Private Listings. Some sellers use private listings so that other Ebay members can't contact you to let you know you are bidding on a fake (or may have won a fake). I would ask the seller to update this on the listing (it is very easy to change) to make the bidder/winner viewable to others. If they refuse, then buy somewhere else.
3. Short Duration Listings. Many times sellers with counterfeit items want to make a fast buck and then disappear. Also, the shorter the duration of the listing, the higher the odds the item will be pulled because it is fake. Counterfeit sellers like to do everything quickly and they usually say things like "Hurry! Don't let this opportunity pass you by!". But this doesn't mean that a 7 day listing is an indication that an item is authentic, it just means the odds are a little better. Ed Hardy is extremely popular and sure not be HARD to sell. If you go into a retail store who sells authentic Ed Hardy, they aren't usually jumping up and down waving their hands in the air going "Hurry! Buy this! Buy this!". Ed Hardy is hard to even keep in stock at some stores because they constantly sell out. This brand does NOT require a hard sell!
4. Price. If the price is too good to be true, there is usually a reason. But some sellers will price their items higher, hoping to make the item appear to be authentic so you can never go by price alone. Yes, you CAN get authentic items for steals on Ebay. But you can also end up with a fake so if the price is really low, you need to ask questions and look for other "red flags" that the item may be fake.
5. Location. If a seller does not disclose their location in the listing, this is usually a bad sign. They do not want you to know where they are, usually for a good reason. If their location says "GREAT DEALS" or something like that instead of an ACTUAL location, ask yourself why they are so worried about disclosing their location. Also, many items coming out of Asia are counterfeit so beware of these listings and ask plenty of questions. NOT ALL ITEMS BEING SOLD FROM ASIA ARE FAKE but a great number of them are so be careful.
6. Volume. If a seller has a large volume of any particular item in a certain brand, this is usually an indication that the seller is dealing in fakes. Not always but usually. So ask plenty of questions and read all the feedback.
7. Scarce item available for a reasonable price. If there is a very popular hard to find item being sold on Ebay for a reasonable price, there is a good chance the item is fake. Think about it, supply and demand.....who is going to sell a highly desirable item for less than retail? If there is a a "SOLD OUT" Ed Hardy item that people are trying hard to find, the price will usually be HIGHER than retail, not less. Many times sellers will say an item is "SOLD OUT" when what they really mean is that is has been discontinued. If you know the item is actually highly desireable and hard to locate...and the price is low....be very, very careful or you could end up with a fake.
8. Feedback. Plenty of sellers with excellent feedback are selling fakes. Even Power Sellers. So good feedback is not an indication that the item will be authentic. Great feedback helps but it is never confirmation of authentic goods. Read ALL the feedback and read between the lines. If a seller has more than one feedback stating the item is fake, the chances are pretty high that this is true, even if hundreds of other buyers are happy. Because many people have no idea they have a fake and many others don't care if the price is good. Also, look for a lot of buyers who are thanking the seller for the refund.......many times people are just thankful to get their money back so they do not leave bad feedback, even for a counterfeit item.
9. Inflated Shipping & Handling charges. Many sellers with counterfeit items inflate the s&h charges because they offer a "money back guarantee" and the return rate is fairly high. So, they figure their profit into the s&h. That way, even if the item is returned, they make money.
10. Poor customer service. If a seller is not responding to your questions regarding authenticity, avoid them. Because so many fake items are "guaranteed authentic", this actually means nothing. If the seller can't answer simple questions like "do you offer a money back guarantee including s&h on authenticity?" buy from someone else. Or if they refuse to tell you where they purchased the item (especially if they have a lot for sale).
11) WHOLESALE. If they say they buy their item "wholesale" or from a "supplier" then find out the name of their retail store is because this is the ONLY way they can buy wholesale. All the sites you see on the internet offering "wholesale" prices on popular designer items are selling fakes. You can buy from discount sites that are usually selling past season items, but any "wholesale" site you see with designer goods (especially current season) are selling fakes. Buying designer goods wholesale requires a CONTRACT and APPROVAL by the company. Its not an easy thing to do. You can't just contact the Ed Hardy company and say "I want to sell your items wholesale" and you are set up in 5 minutes. Designers are VERY particular about WHO sells their items because it affects their reputation. Many Ebay sellers have no idea they are selling fakes because they believe the information they receive from the supplier (who usually claim their replicas are authentic). (credit christid2303 at ebay).

Ed Hardy

2009-01-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Don Ed Hardy is an American tattoo artist born in Iowa in 1945, and raised in Southern California. A pupil of Sailor Jerry, Hardy is recognized for incorporating Japanese tattoo aesthetic and technique into his work.

Biography
An Iowan born in 1945, Don Hardy revived a childhood determination to become a tattoo artist and underwent a tattoo apprenticeship while simultaneously receiving a B.F.A. degree in printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1967. Tattooing professionally since then, he developed the fine art potential of the medium with emphasis on its Asian heritage. In 1973 he lived in Japan, studying with a traditional tattoo master he was introduced to by his primary mentor in the medium, Sailor Jerry Collins of Honolulu. He resumed these studies in Japan throughout the 1980s. Since 1974 he pioneered the emphasis on unique tattoo commissions at his San Francisco studio.

In 1982 he and his wife, Francesca Passalacqua, formed Hardy Marks Publications and have written, edited and published over twenty-five books on alternative art.

They moved their primary household to Honolulu in 1986, where Hardy resumed painting, drawing, and printmaking. He maintains the studio Tattoo City in San Francisco, with younger artists continuing to evolve and carry on his work format. Hardy's primary focus is on creating and exhibiting works in more traditional mediums, including porcelain painting. He began developing this body of work in 2006 in a traditional Japanese setting.

In addition to showing his own works, Hardy has curated a number of exhibitions for both galleries and nonprofit spaces and frequently lectures at museums and universities. His work has appeared in numerous periodicals, books, and films internationally. In 2004 "Ed Hardy", a major fashion line featuring his artwork, was launched internationally. Hardy and his wife now divide their time between Honolulu and the San Francisco Bay area.

Don Ed Hardy Brands
In 2002 Hardy was approached by Ku USA, Inc. to produce a line of clothing based on Hardy's art and a licence agreement was signed. Within two years, the collection had drawn the interest of Saks companies. Hardy and Ku USA formed Hardy Life LLC, which holds the trademark ownership as well as the copyrights to all his images.

Artistic career and influence
Hardy pioneered the pop-culture tattoo-as-art space decades before the worldwide boom in tattoo art that permeates popular culture. In addition to showing his own works. Hardy has curated a number of exhibitions for both galleries and nonprofit spaces and lectures at museums and universities. His work has appeared in numerous periodicals, books, films internationally and clothing line. In 2000, he was appointed by Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown to that city's Cultural Arts Commission, and awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the San Francisco Art Institute.

In 2004, Christian Audigier licensed the rights to produce the high-end Ed Hardy clothing line, which is based on Hardy's imagery. Prior to the Ed Hardy clothing line, Audigier was the Head Designer at Von Dutch Originals, which marketed the imagery of Kenny HowardVon Dutch. Audigier has attempted to replicate the marketing techniques employed by Von Dutch Originals, by marketing directly to celebrity clients and by opening stores in high profile fashion districts. There are currently at least twelve Ed Hardy stores, located in Waikiki, Dubai, Kuwait, Tel Aviv, Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Tucson, Houston, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, Berlin, Riga and Australian stores at Noosa on The Sunshine Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast (which opened slightly earlier than expected in late 2007) and on 10 December 2008, Brisbane where the local celebrities in attendance included ex-AFL great Warwick Capper, actress and performer Tania Zaetta, legendary boxer Jeff Fenech, the inimitable Mick Gatto, members of the cast of Underbelly and singer Shaneal who performed his single Fancy Cars and Super Stars live in the store. Stores were opened in Johannesburg, South Africa in early 2007 and Cape Town, South Africa in late 2007. He opened another store in San Francisco in March 2008, in Las Vegas in November 2008, as well as a store in Hamburg. Christian Audigier launched Ed Hardy Fragrances in 2008. In August 2008 Ed Hardy Brands signed an exclusive contract with the mall clothing retailer, BUCKLE to carry limited designs of his clothing.Two stores have recently been opened in India, one in New Delhi and the other in Mumbai. (source: Wikipedia)

Ed Hardy Clothing | Ed Hardy Shirts

Real Ed Hardy ? | How to Tell the difference

Ed Hardy