When you think of Chrome Hearts, you picture bold silver jewelry, gothic flair, and punk luxury. But behind the edgy elegance and rebellious visual language lies a largely unsung hero: Joe Foti — the artist, sculptor, and creative visionary whose strange, provocative world helped define the brand Foti by Chrome Hearts aesthetic DNA.
From Queens to Tokyo: A Life in Art
Born in 1962 in Queens, New York, Joe Foti grew up with a fascination for oddities and underground culture. In 1990, just as Chrome Hearts was taking shape, Foti joined the brand as head of its Art & Science Division, becoming a close collaborator of founder Richard Stark.
With mentorship from artist Daryl Trivieri, and creative partnership with his wife Mayumi, Foti would go on to craft some of the most bizarre and unforgettable visuals in Chrome Hearts’ history — operating both inside and outside the brand's retail ecosystem. In the late '90s, the couple moved to Tokyo, where the “Foti by Chrome Hearts” label began taking form through exhibitions and limited pieces.
Dark, Funny, and Twisted: Foti’s Visual Universe
Foti’s art is defined by absurd juxtapositions, gothic symbolism, and an often juvenile sense of play. He is known for building strange assemblages from flea-market finds, dismembered toys, retro Americana, and even bizarre objects like his own kidney stone, which he once used as part of an installation.
Key elements of his visual style:
- Gothic aesthetics – crosses, skulls, black-and-white contrasts, occult symbolism
- Twisted Americana – 50s nostalgia clashed with punk rebellion
- Toy-like surrealism – childlike but unsettling sculptures, often humorous in a grotesque way
His signature characters — like Skippy, Delphino, and Pepe — began as props for installations and later evolved into collectible figures, jewelry, and accessories sold through Chrome Hearts boutiques worldwide.
From Art Shows to Brand Identity
Foti’s impact goes far beyond art galleries. His work is deeply embedded in Chrome Hearts brand image, from packaging and interiors to jewelry lines and visual merchandising. His immersive art has become a spiritual extension of the label’s anti-mainstream ethos.
Notable exhibitions include:
- Fisting Scars (Tokyo, 2002)
- Phantasmagoria (Osaka, 2002)
- The Adventures from Beaver Creek (Tokyo series, 2013–2017)
- Foti Universe – Chrome Hearts Gallery (Hong Kong, 2025)
These shows blurred the line between gallery and punk playground, filled with eerie installations, handmade creatures, and surreal dioramas.
Launched in 2003, the "Foti by Chrome Hearts" collection was designed by Joe Foti and produced by Chrome Hearts, whose skull-shaped artwork was a huge success at a solo exhibition. The collection features new designs including necklaces, keychains, pendants, rings and T-shirts, and is themed around 12 unique characters.
Of the colorful works on display, Forti said: "When I first had an exhibition in 1999, the works were all black. If you paint everything black, it will look cool, right? It's difficult to complete the work with color, but it's fun to try it now. I hope to continue to create a variety of works in the future." When asked about the source of inspiration for his works, he replied:
“The people around me, including you. The excellent people around me inspire me.”
Joe Foti rejects the labels of “designer” or “artist” — he is a storyteller of chaos, a myth-maker of the absurd. His work doesn’t seek to fit within fashion or art categories. It exists to confuse, provoke, and delight those who dare to look closer.
As he once famously said:
“If my art doesn’t confuse you, it’s probably not mine.”
The Hidden Heart of Chrome Hearts
While Chrome Hearts is often associated with silver, leather, and rockstar glam, Joe Foti is its beating, eccentric heart — shaping a world where fine craftsmanship meets subversive storytelling.
He may not post on Instagram or chase clout, but in every strange creature and twisted cross, Foti’s presence is unmistakable. He's not just a collaborator. He's a founding mythmaker of the Foti by Chrome Hearts universe.
