Von Dutch seems to be making its return to fashion and before you decide to buy, here is something to consider. I was seconds away from purchasing a neon orange Von Dutch hat this morning. When I got to checkout, I noticed the shipping fee was a bit too high for my liking. I went to my favorite place, Twitter, to find a coupon code when I came across numerous tweets of people saying they were done with or selling their Von Dutch. Now why? Turns out, the brand is named after a man that is known to be a “neo-nazi, racist”.
Von Dutch’s Dark Past
Kenny Howard, born in Compton in 1929, was widely known for his pinstripe work on cars. He acquired the name “Dutch” because he was as stubborn as a Dutchman and later added “Von” for a little razzle dazzle or artistic touch. An associate close to Howard says the man was “quite a racist; didn’t like anybody. He had all the trappings of being a Neo-Nazi.”
Howard admitted to admiring the Third Riech, in other words, Nazi Germany when Hitler controlled the country turning it into a dictatorship. He also had some pointed things to say in a letter he wrote:
“I am not willing to go through it anymore only to emerge in a place full of [N-word], Mexicans and Jews. … I have always been a Nazi and still believe it was the last time the world had a chance of being operated with logic. What a shame so many Americans died and suffered to make the rich richer and save England & France again, or was that still. I hope you lying wimps get swallowed up with your stupidity.”
Howard died of liver disease in 1992 but even on his deathbed, his last words were, “Bye, Heil Hitler”.
Now, Von Dutch the brand had its own beginnings. Howard’s daughters, Lisa and Lorna, were given rights to the name following his death but later sold the company to Michael Cassel, who wanted to start a business that catered to hot-rod fans. Von Dutch was the “It” accessory of the early 2000’s and worn by many celebrities. It has been said that if Howard was alive, “he’d kill to know that a Russian Jew stole the name from his daughters. He’d flip”.
So what do we make of all this information?
I remember vividly begging my mother for many Von Dutch hats. Literally this morning, I was going to drop the money on a hat. While my younger self was unaware of the origins of this company, my adult self cannot be ignorant now.
Many people will question, is it possible to disassociate the art from the artist? This can be true in some cases, but in regards to fashion, no. There are too many other designers that you can support opposed to supporting a neo-nazi racist. Now what you do with your money is your business and I am not telling you not to buy Von Dutch but consider these alternatives.
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Ashaka Givens
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