Early stages and founding (1988) Stark started the business in a
Los Angeles garage alongside Leonard Kamhout, a jeweler, and John Bowman, a manufacturer of leather goods. At the time, Stark was a premium leather dealer, sourcing materials while Bowman handled production. The trio made leather
motorcycle riding gear for friends and members of the local motorcycle scene. Eventually, an unexpected gig doing costume design for a B movie,
Chopper Chicks in Zombietown, pushed the brand into the mainstream fashion sphere. One of the actors, a then-girlfriend of
Sex Pistols lead guitarist
Steve Jones, introduced Stark to the musician, who quickly became a fan, wearing Stark's designs on stage, while Stark named the brand after the film's working title,
Chrome Hearts. Other popular bands like
Motley Crüe and
Guns N' Roses started wearing the Chrome Hearts' leather pieces and accessories as well and shortly thereafter, Stark opened up the first private store in LA's
Skid Row.“There’s no game being played for the fashion world. To me, Chrome Hearts has got nothing to do with the fashion world,” “We don’t have any seasons. I make things when I wanna make them because I wanna make them.”In 1994, the trio of founders split and Stark bought his partners out of the business, with his wife Laurie Lynn assuming a more formal role. At the time, Chrome Hearts had expanded dramatically, well beyond leather goods. Jewelry, the largest source of revenue, became the main focus and Stark explored other avenues including furniture, home goods, and even custom work ranging from
pool tables to private jet interiors. == Personal life ==