Theclothing linewas inspired by his classic tattoo art, however, he never planned on doing any apparel.

Hardy explains Audigier was connected in Hollywood, so his line became a virtual overnight success.

Some of them were not great, inspiring people in the pop culture world.

Ed Hardy Clothing

I want to say one of them was this guy, Jon Gosselin?

I was aware of about ten percent of what was happening.

It was really surreal," he confessed.

Ed Hardy

I thought, ‘I’m not like that guyI just drew the images!'"

“It’s an enormous validation for me,” Hardy toldArtNet News.

“My entire life has been art.

The only thing I was ever good at was drawing.”

“The Ed Hardy clothing line, that’s what everybody knows when they hear my name.

They have no idea that there’s more behind it,” he said.