Dipped in Chrome: Inside the Chrome Hearts Dynasty

Images via Vogue, GQ, CR Fashion Book, Reddit, Instagram, Pinterest, and Chrome Hearts, Dipped in Blue, and Deadly Doll.

From its origins in a 1988 Hollywood garage to a billion-dollar company with over 30 locations today, Chrome Hearts has become one of the most sought-after family-owned businesses in the world. But it all started with Cher.

​With his wild curly hair, a leather guitar strap, and a Harley, the mystery man, Richard Stark, founder of Chrome Hearts, passed by none other than Cher’s rehearsal studio one afternoon in 1988. It wasn’t just his biker look that caught the attention of Cher, otherwise known as the “Goddess of Pop.” She noticed the guitar strap with its“ gorgeous, thick black leather, with baroque silver-filigree work.” Cher had become a devoted fan of Chrome Hearts ever since, as well as godmother to the eldest daughter of the Stark family, Jesse Jo Stark. She led a network of celebrities to become ones too, such as Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Nicholas Cage, The Weeknd, Rick Owens, Karl Lagerfeld, and Virgil Abloh.

​The brand was founded with the intention of creating motorcycling gear that didn't yet exist. Today, it's one of the biggest names in fashion, known for its jewelry, streetwear, and exclusivity that everyone wants to be part of.

Richard, his wife and business partner, Laurie Lynn, who joined the business in 1994, and their three children have become some of the most recognizable names in the fashion world.

“‘I started Chrome Hearts to be a 150-year-old company,’ Richard says. “‘You need a family to make that happen.’”

“Chrome Hearts is a family business in the purest sense: All five Starks have to sign off on every decision. And it seems set to remain a family business for at least one more generation.”

- GQ.

Richard Stark and Laurie Lynn made everyone want Chrome Hearts in the 90s, introducing the brand to Guns N’ Roses, the Sex Pistols, and, of course, Cher. But when did Gen Z become so obsessed with Chrome Hearts?

Son of Richard and Laurie, Kristian Stark brought artists like Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, and others from Gen Z into the Chrome world. By introducing collabs with athletes like Odell Beckham Jr. and artists like Drake and turning the heads of the biggest names in fashion, Kristian Stark knew how to draw new eyes to the brand.

Laurie Lynn Stark at the Chrome Hearts West Village location.

Blue mesh velvet bodysuit VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, Beaded 1960s belt, Brown laced boots MIUMIU from MOLLIE MAE VINTAGE Champion surfers Thomas and Noe Lédée wear CHROME HEARTS

While Kristian brought the Gen Z male demographic to Chrome Hearts' attention, many young girls were drawn to the aesthetic upon being introduced to his girlfriend, Mollie Mae. Mollie started her own vintage store, Mollie Mae Vintage. With images of the store and mirror selfies of her in the store decked out in every teenage girl's vintage wishlist, Mollie began going viral on platforms like Pinterest and TikTok. Everyone wanted to know what she was wearing and where she got it from. With her one-of-a-kind Chrome Hearts Uggs, necklaces, dresses, and tees, Mollie got all of the girls wanting Chrome Hearts in their closets.

​Her laid-back island-girl lifestyle and sense of style encourage those seeking inspiration from her style to buy secondhand. Her shop features brands like Roberto Cavalli, Blumarine, and Dolce and Gabbana pieces.

“Fast fashion is the worst thing to happen in our generation. It is the death of real style and uniqueness, it’s simply not cool.” - L’Officiel.

Sequin fishnet top VINTAGE ROBERTO CAVALLI , Boots VINTAGE GIVENCHY, Baguette Bag VINTAGE FENDI from MOLLIE MAE VINTAGE

​“ In terms of the consumer's health, not only are we consuming chemicals, but with fast fashion, we are also wearing them. Invest in vintage, these clothes stand the test of time, and maybe one day your daughter will be happy to wear her mother’s 30-year-old vintage Dolce & Gabbana skirt, still in perfect condition and still trendy.” - L’Officiel.

​Recently, Mollie Mae Vintage opened in the heart of Gustavia, St. Barth, which she describes as her forever home.

“ St Barth is my chosen home, and after meeting Kristian Stark, fashion icon and the love of my life, here I don’t ever want to leave. It just feels like the natural course of life for me. It fits.” - L’Officiel​

The youngest daughter of the Chrome family, Frankie Belle Stark, has been involved in the brand's creative direction since her childhood. Much of her work involves designing custom looks for high-profile clients such as Dua Lipa and Kim Kardashian, as well as performance pieces for artists like Olivia Rodrigo. All while getting her degree from Parsons School of Design, Frankie runs her own swimwear brand, Dipped in Blue. Her effortlessly cool personal style went viral on platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram, cultivating a large following of young girls who would do anything to shop her closet. The following became loyal customers quickly when she announced the launch of Dipped in Blue in 2018, at just 15 years old, alongside co-founder Kono Lulu Smith.

Olivia Rodrigo is in a custom Chrome Hearts set for the Pink Pop Festival in the Netherlands.

In October, Dipped in Blue set sail from Hollywood to the Caribbean.

Frankie and Kono, co-founders of Dipped in Blue, opened a new store location in St. Barts. While they draw much of the brand's inspiration from their friends' style, St Barths inspired their newest exclusive collection.

“‘We tried to tap into the colors of St. Barths, but still with a little bit of Hollywood. We have a lot of sequins, bedazzlements, and patterns coming up for this store, and we have a lot of exclusive work just for the shop as well.’

So, what’s next for the brand? Stark puts it simply with one word and a smile: ‘Everything.’” - Elle Magazine.

As the eldest daughter of the Chrome Hearts family, Jesse Jo Stark, owner of Deadly Doll, is another creative director of Chrome Hearts and a musician all at once.

​“I’m going in to finalise a mix on a song, then all of a sudden I’m creating a custom outfit,” Stark says. She likes it that way: “I feel like they go together. I can’t have one without the other.” - i-D. 

​While bouncing from the design studio to the music studio, Jesse grounds herself by being out in nature with her animals. If there's one thing the Stark family seems to have in common, it's knowing how to balance a dreamy, nature-inspired lifestyle with creative directing one of the coolest fashion brands.