Bobby Vaughn (designer)

Robert Christian "Bobby" Vaughn, born February 20, 1975, is an American clothing designer and entrepreneur.

Vaughn, a former sponsored surfer, is best known for co-founding the Von Dutch clothing line with former partner, Michael Cassel. After selling Von Dutch, Vaughn founded FTW, an edgier Action Sports and MMA lifestyle brand.

Vaughn is building and launching FTW from Rockaway, New York.

Vaughn killed his longtime friend, roommate and clothing-business partner Mark Rivas on Friday, February 4, 2005. Vaughn was discharged from Rikers Island in 2006 on five years’ probation, after pleading guilty to charges that he was in possession of an unregistered handgun. This after the night in February 2005 when he got into a dispute with his childhood friend and roommate, Mark Rivas. Rivas, in a tequila-fueled rage, stabbed Vaughn in the face with a broken bottle. Vaughn reached for his handgun and shot Rivas to death. He was arrested on charges of first-degree [...] and eventually acquitted by a jury that ruled it justifiable [...].

Career

Von Dutch is an American multinational licensing company named after Kenny Howard, an artist and pinstriper of the Kustom Kulture movement. After Howard's death in 1992, his daughters sold the Von Dutch name to Michael Cassel and Robert Vaughn. The clothing brand gained popularity in the US and attracted the attention of celebrities such as Madonna, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and later Ashton Kutcher and Eric Church.