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Tonny Sorensen (born March 9, 1964) is a Danish entrepreneur and
creative director A creative director is a person who makes high-level creative decisions; oversees the creation of creative assets such as advertisements, products, events, or logos; and directs and translates the creative people who produce the end results. Creat ...
best known for his commercialization of the California clothing brand Von Dutch Originals. He is the
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
and co-founder of
Planet illogica A planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is generally required to be in orbit around a star, stellar remnant, or brown dwarf, and is not one itself. The Solar System has eight planets by the most restrictive definition of the term ...
, an online creative community for artists and art organizations. and California Christiania Republic clothing brand.


Biography

Tonny Sorensen was born on March 9, 1964, in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, Denmark. He earned a
Bachelor of Engineering A Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a college graduate majoring in an engineering discipline at a higher education institution. In the United Kingdom, a Ba ...
degree in Electronic Engineering from the
University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (, KU) is a public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia, after Uppsala University. ...
, and a degree in Business and Trade from a Copenhagen trade school. Sorensen was a member of Denmark's Taekwondo team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, and won a Gold Medal in the Heavyweight division of the 1991 World Taekwondo Championships in Athens, Greece. Sorensen subsequently owned the
Gladsaxe Gladsaxe Municipality () is a municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') near Copenhagen in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 70,958 (2025). ...
dojo A is a hall or place for immersive learning, experiential learning, or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts. The term literally means "place of the Tao, Way" in Japanese language, Japanese. History The word ''d� ...
in Denmark, an elite school that produced several Taekwondo world champions. Sorensen moved to the United States in 1991, settling in Los Angeles, where he studied acting, screenwriting and filmmaking. In 1998 he co-produced the 1998 movie ''American Intellectuals'', starring
Portia de Rossi Portia Lee James DeGeneres (born Amanda Lee Rogers; 31 January 1973), known professionally as Portia de Rossi, is an Australian-American former actress. She played Nelle Porter on the American drama series ''Ally McBeal'' (1998–2002), for wh ...
. Sorensen's style of management earned him a reputation as a rebel in the world of fashion. His "one-second rule," in which he instantly decides on whether or not to pursue a new project, design or program, led to the
Trucker Cap A trucker hat, mesh cap or netback cap is a soft hat with a rounded crown and a stiff flat bill projecting in front. It is also sometimes known as a "gimme s in 'give me'cap" or a "feed cap" because this style of hat originated during the 1970 ...
.


Kustom Kulture and Von Dutch Originals

In the mid-1990s, Sorensen purchased a
hot rod Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and ma ...
Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...
and became involved in
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
car culture. Sorensen's
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
mechanic introduced him to the art and design of Kenny "Von Dutch" Howard, a father of the
Kustom Kulture Kustom Kulture is the artworks, vehicles, hairstyles, and fashions of those who have driven and built custom cars and motorcycles in the United States of America from the 1950s through today. It was born out of the hot rod culture of Southern C ...
movement that heavily influenced the fashion and style of hot rodding,
surf culture Surf culture includes the people, language, fashion, and lifestyle surrounding the sport of surfing. The history of surfing began with the ancient Polynesians. That initial culture directly influenced modern surfing, which began to flourish ...
,
skateboarding Skateboarding is an extreme sport, action sport that involves riding and Skateboarding trick, performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry Profession, job, and a method of tr ...
and
rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
. Intrigued by Howard, Sorensen set-out to make a film about Von Dutch's life, which led him to Michael Cassel, who had earlier acquired the rights to reproduce the iconic "Von Dutch" signature and imagery from Howard's heirs and had established Von Dutch Originals. Sorensen invested in Von Dutch Originals in 2000 and became its CEO, opening the Melrose Avenue retail location that same year. Sorensen expanded Von Dutch from a niche T-shirt and hat line to a full-scale fashion collection adding hoodies, jeans and accessories. Sorensen grew the business, opening stores in Las Vegas, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Chicago and Miami, with wholesale distribution to Japan, Canada and Europe. Von Dutch Originals used high-level product placements and celebrity involvement to propel the brand. In the height of the brand's popularity,
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...
,
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...
, and
Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer and entrepreneur. His accolades include a People's Choice Award and fifteen Teen Choice Awards, in addition to a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award. K ...
were photographed wearing the Von Dutch
trucker hat A trucker hat, mesh cap or netback cap is a soft hat with a rounded crown and a stiff flat bill projecting in front. It is also sometimes known as a "gimme s in 'give me'cap" or a "feed cap" because this style of hat originated during the 1970 ...
. Sales reached $33 million in 2003, and as high as $100 million in 2004. Von Dutch Originals was sold to Groupe Royer S.A. in 2009.


Planet illogica

Influenced by the free and open trade mentality of
Freetown Christiania Freetown Christiania (), also known as Christiania or simply ', is an intentional community and anarchist commune in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of the Danish capital city of Copenhagen. It began in 1971 as a squatted military base. Its m ...
, an artist enclave near
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
, and his success as a brand entrepreneur at Von Dutch, Sorensen was inspired to build an online artistic community. In 2007 he partnered with Ken Goldstein, founder of marketing agency Six Shooter LA, and formerly Marketing Director of Von Dutch, to form
Planet illogica A planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is generally required to be in orbit around a star, stellar remnant, or brown dwarf, and is not one itself. The Solar System has eight planets by the most restrictive definition of the term ...
, an online collaborative tool for artists. The site launched in July 2009 with the help of the American Film Institute's Digital Content Lab. The site and organization are designed to serve as a tool to help artists create, promote and sell their work, and build collaborative relationships with other artists and commercial
brands A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...
. Planet illogica's business model relies on product sales and licensing of
user-generated content User-generated content (UGC), alternatively known as user-created content (UCC), emerged from the rise of web services which allow a system's User (computing), users to create Content (media), content, such as images, videos, audio, text, testi ...
, Borrowing on Sorensen's earlier experience with Von Dutch, Planet illogica focuses on the commercial intersection between emblematic art and brand associations with that art, deliberately fostering relationships between art, brand imagery and commercial advertising. Planet illogica also serves as a vehicle for Sorensen to scout and develop talent. Select artists are supported by the organization's artist in residence program, which provides marketing, management, legal and financial support for the artist, and which facilitates joint artistic ventures with Planet illogica's alliance partners. Planet illogica's affiliate network includes
Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...
,
Sony PlayStation is a Video game, video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of Home video game console, home video game consoles produce ...
,
Best Buy Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was r ...
and
Guitar Center Guitar Center, Inc. is an American musical instrument retailer chain headquartered in Westlake Village, California. It operates 304 locations and is the largest company of its kind in the United States. The company oversees several subsidia ...
, among others. Examples of Planet illogica's marketing support of its artists in residence include their 2010
South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
art exhibit of American contemporary artist Ron English's ''Historic'' ''
KISS A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
'' art and other music-related prints, and its online sale and promotion of custom limited edition apparel from English's ''Popaganda'' collection. Planet illogica continues Sorensen's promotion of fashion lines, with its launch of artist Civil Smith's ''American Heritage'' apparel collection, the ''California Christiania Republic'' line and Sorensen's own ''Tonny Sorensen Collection''.


California Christiania Republic

In 2010, Sorensen launched his new clothing brand, California Christiania Republic, or CCR, with a one-piece casual suit called the one*Z. The clothing item, which is adorned with the "Freedom Star" of CCR, was clearly featured in several popular music videos, including Willow Smith's debut music video, "Whip My Hair" The name of the clothing line is a reference and homage to
Freetown Christiania Freetown Christiania (), also known as Christiania or simply ', is an intentional community and anarchist commune in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of the Danish capital city of Copenhagen. It began in 1971 as a squatted military base. Its m ...
and part of Sorensen's effort to save the town, from being taken over by the current Danish government.


Other social ventures

Sorensen has also engaged
Planet illogica A planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is generally required to be in orbit around a star, stellar remnant, or brown dwarf, and is not one itself. The Solar System has eight planets by the most restrictive definition of the term ...
and his Tonny Sorensen Foundation to support other social ventures, including ''Manifest Equality'', an art and music event used as vehicle to raise awareness of
LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
civil rights, the Starts With U ''Global Sustainability Symposium’s'' work regarding social inclusion of minority groups, ''Climate Refugees'', a documentary about climate change, and the ''Save Our Oceans Tour'', which is a series of music, film and art installations,


Collections

Sorensen's auto collection features the most valuable motorcycle in the world, Steve McQueen's Von Dutch 1929 Scott 596cc Super Squirrel, a rare Ray Allen world champion 1970 Chevelle, and a 1969 Mercury Cyclone Boss 429 NASCAR (winner of the 1969 NASCAR circuit). His art collection includes works from lowbrow and pop-surrealism artists
Basquiat Jean-Michel Basquiat (; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist who rose to success during the 1980s as part of the neo-expressionism movement. Basquiat first achieved notoriety in the late 1970s as part of the graffiti ...
,
Ron English Ron English (born June 6, 1959) is an American contemporary artist who explores brand imagery, street art, and advertising. Career English has produced images on the street, in museums, in movies, books and television. He coined the term POPag ...
,
Shepard Fairey Frank Shepard Fairey (born February 15, 1970) is an American contemporary artist, activist and founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene. In 1989, he designed the " Andre the Giant Has a Posse" (...OBEY...) sticker campa ...
, Kenny "Von Dutch" Howard and
Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Ed "Big Daddy" Roth (March 4, 1932 – April 4, 2001) was an American artist, cartoonist, illustrator, pinstriper and custom car designer and builder who created the hot rod icon Rat Fink and other characters. Roth was a key figure in S ...
.


References


External links


Planet illogica websiteVon Dutch Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sorensen, Tonny 1964 births Living people Businesspeople from Los Angeles Businesspeople from Copenhagen Danish male taekwondo practitioners 20th-century Danish sportsmen