Chrome Hearts in Barth

Chrome Hearts, the cult label of Los Angeles with a rock ‘n’ roll history and meticulous craftsmanship, launches its boutique in St Barths. It’s Kristian, the young offspring of the Stark Clan, who has breathed life into the idea of a boutique on the island, he thought up the concept down to the smallest detail with a lot of taste, meanwhile keeping with the unique and legendary style of the brand. But how could it be any other way when you are the progeny of such a bold and talented family? Let’s look back at the saga of Los Angeles’ royal family, the Starks, whose name has been synonymous with enduring vision for over 30 years.

Chrome Hearts is first and foremost a family affair… a brand started thirty years ago by its prodigious founders, Richard and Laurie Lynn Stark. They have later been joined by their children, Jesse Jo, at 28, has already built a beautiful carrier of singer and songwriter, Frankie Belle, 16, prominent figure on social media, and her twin brother, Kristian, who has just put the finishing touches to his first concept store in St Barth. Created at the end of the 80’s, the cult brand has emerged from Richard and Laurie Lynn’s experience creating custom made leather items for punk and rock legends, such as Steve Jones of Sex Pistols fame, Heart, Lenny Kravitz and Mötley Crüe. In 1992, Chrome Hearts received one of the most prestigious awards in fashion, the CDFA prize, which honors the accessories Designer of the year. Since then, the independent family enterprise never ceases to attract an incredible list of admirers and hype collaborators like Rei Kawakubo, Bella Hadid, Virgil Abloh and Pat McGrath. The brand, directed by Richard and his wife Laurie Lynn Stark, more recently joined by their eldest daughter Jesse Jo, now has about thirty shops in the world – quite a feat for an enterprise that wants to stay true to its roots. Artisans who meticulously craft each piece by hand in the same factory as when it all began, a production site which today covers three blocks in the heart of Hollywood. Their integrity is almost physically palpable and it’s precisely that singular personality along with their authentic and unshakable aesthetic that have allowed the brand to stay pertinent after all these years. This is why Chrome Hearts now counts among its passionate collectors several personalities from very diverse walks of life, from Elton John to Kanye West, from Aerosmith to Kendrick Lamar, from Kate Hudson to Rihanna. Chrome Hearts is now a true empire, built little by little with personal friendships and a lot of respect. The brand has always fascinated celebrities. A new generation of it girls like Soko, Dree Hemingway, or even Lady Gaga, has discovered the brand and joined the rank of their fans. It’s thanks to Jesse Jo, the eldest daughter of the clan, that the empire owes its 2.0 version. At age 18, she developed the new design of the cult label, the “studs and spikes”, which quickly became a staple item of Chrome Hearts. While keeping her own identity, she has been able to interpret her parents’ brand in her own way. And what a success! Since then, Jesse Jo, who is just as business savvy as her mother, has recruited her childhood BFF Bella Hadid. She has designed her own collection for the label, Chrome Hearts Capsule, a collaboration of which she is very proud. A new one is about to see the light of day with the launch of Hellz Bellz eyewear, glasses designed by the top model for her special collaboration with Chrome Hearts.