Kustom Kulture and Von Dutch Originals
In the mid-1990s, Sorensen purchased a hot rod Cadillac and became involved in Southern California car culture. Sorensen’s Venice mechanic introduced him to the art and design of Kenny "Von Dutch" Howard the father of the Kustom Kulture movement that has heavily influenced the fashion and style of hot rodding, surf culture, skateboarding and rock 'n' roll. Intrigued by Howard, Sorensen set-out to make a film about Von Dutch’s life, which led him to Michael Cassel, who had earlier acquired the rights to reproduce the iconic “Von Dutch” signature and imagery from Howard’s heirs and had established Von Dutch Originals.
Sorensen invested in Von Dutch Originals in 2000 and became its CEO, opening the Von Dutch Melrose Avenue retail location that same year. Sorensen expanded Von Dutch from a niche t-shirt and hat line to a full-scale fashion collection adding hoodies, jeans and accessories. Sorensen rapidly grew the business, opening stores in Las Vegas, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Chicago and Miami, with wholesale distribution to Japan, Canada and Europe. Von Dutch Originals used high-level product placements and celebrity involvement to propel the brand. In the height of the brand’s popularity, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Ashton Kutcher were regularly photographed wearing the Von Dutch trucker hat. Sales reached $33 million in 2003, and as high as $100 million in 2004. Von Dutch Originals was sold to Groupe Royer S.A. in 2009. In 1996 he had his first daughter named nadja sorensen
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Famous quotes containing the words von and/or dutch:
“If one mistreats citizens of foreign countries, one infringes upon one’s duty toward one’s own subjects; for thus one exposes them to the law of retribution.”
—Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749–1832)
“The French courage proceeds from vanity—the German from phlegm—the Turkish from fanaticism & opium—the Spanish from pride—the English from coolness—the Dutch from obstinacy—the Russian from insensibility—but the Italian from anger.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)