The History of Chrome Hearts
Chrome Hearts didn’t start as a huge luxury brand. It actually began in 1988 in Los Angeles, when Richard Stark just wanted to make better, cooler leather gear for bikers. He teamed up with leather worker John Bowman and silversmith Leonard Kamhout, and together they started making handmade pieces that mixed biker culture, rock energy, and gothic design. Their early work wasn’t made for runways or fashion shows. It was made for real people who lived loud, fast, and unapologetically.
The first real moment of attention came when they worked on costumes for a low-budget 1989 movie called Chopper Chicks in Zombietown. While the movie itself wasn’t a huge hit, the custom gear stood out and caught the attention of musicians and other creatives in Hollywood. Word started spreading that Chrome Hearts was making some of the most detailed, high-quality leather and silver pieces around. Musicians especially were drawn to the bold crosses, daggers, and medieval-inspired symbols that would eventually become the brand’s signatures.
Throughout the 1990s, Chrome Hearts became closely tied to rock culture. Members of Guns N’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, and other iconic bands were seen wearing the jewelry and leather jackets, which helped give the brand an almost legendary status. Instead of trying to go mainstream, Richard Stark leaned into exclusivity. Everything stayed handmade in the U.S., and production remained limited. In 1994, Chrome Hearts won a CFDA Award for Best Accessory Designer, but the brand still refused to operate like everyone else.
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, Chrome Hearts expanded globally, opening stores in New York, Tokyo, and Paris. But these weren’t normal retail stores. Each one felt more like an art gallery or a cathedral, filled with custom furniture, dark wood, and handmade details. Around this time, the brand also started making clothing, denim, and eyewear, turning Chrome Hearts into a full lifestyle instead of just a jewelry line. Still, the prices were high and the quantities were low, which only made people want it more.
Fast forward to the 2010s and 2020s, and Chrome Hearts found a whole new wave of popularity through hip-hop and streetwear. Artists like Kanye West and Drake had already made it cool, but now a younger generation has taken it even further. Playboi Carti and Ken Carson, in particular, have been wearing Chrome Hearts constantly — from oversized hoodies and custom leather pants to layered silver chains and rings. Their influence on youth and fashion culture has introduced the brand to an entirely new audience that values individuality, rarity, and personal style more than traditional luxury labels.
Even today, Chrome Hearts refuses to sell online in the usual way. To get most pieces, you have to visit a store, make a connection, and sometimes even place a custom order. That mystery is part of its power. More than just a brand, Chrome Hearts feels like a secret club — one built on rebellion, craftsmanship, and never doing things the normal way.
