Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier, a U.S.-based clothing label that favors rhinestones and skull-and-crossbones motifs, opened a massive two-story shop on Karmelitská street with a huge party Nov. 13 celebrating its arrival in the Czech Republic.

The event was a spectacle, from the green-mohawked bouncer type greeting guests as they arrived to the throbbing techno music that could be heard pulsating all the way down the block. Inside, pretty ladies dressed head-to-toe in Ed Hardy finery flitted around, occasionally posing for the news cameras trailing their every move. The whole evening seemed like a cross between an ill-planned fashion show and punk rock concert.

The designer wasn't on hand for the party — but, if his clothes are any indication, Audigier appears to have an uncanny fixation with death. (His Web site calls the look "vintage tattoo wear.") Many of the biker hats and T-shirts lining the store shelves carry similar messages: "Love Kills Slowly," "Death or Glory" and "Love Dies Hard" are a few that stand out.

Morbid is in these days. The store touts Madonna, hip-hop singer Missy Elliott and television star H.P. Baxxter as Ed Hardy fans, and has their pictures prominently displayed near the front door. Czech movie stars and sports idols are also reportedly smitten with the clothing line.

The question, however, is whether normal people can honestly justify forking over 3,600 Kč ($165) for a hideous trucker cap adorned with a bunch of gaudy rhinestones and a scary-looking skeleton caricature.

Martin Barták, for one, appeared to be a convert — maybe.

"This looks good, but not on me," said the 18-year-old as he tried on a cap and glanced at himself in a full-length mirror by the dressing room.

"It looks strange on me," Barták observed, frowning a bit as he cocked the brim to one side. But, "I like this style."

Yes, but does he like it enough to empty his wallet?

"Ah, but this is the most expensive one. You can get one for 3,200 Kč," Barták pointed out, flashing his reflection a wide smile.

Over on the other side of the room, sitting next to a life-size skeleton wearing a red beanie hat, an uncomfortable-looking young woman had a completely different opinion.

Asked what she was doing at the party, Veronika (who didn't give her last name), said "just looking."

Did she find anything she liked?

"For me," she said, "it's too crazy. I think it's too much."

So she wouldn't consider wearing Ed Hardy in public then?

"No," she said, shaking her head emphatically. But, later, the 22-year-old admitted, "Well, maybe just one piece."

Despite these mixed reviews, the crowds flooded the store's grand opening party until every inch of space was crammed with jostling bodies, making it, at times, impossible to breathe, let alone move. And this at what is said to be the second-biggest Ed Hardy store in the world.

For all the pomp and circumstance there was a major gaffe: no food. Organizers still managed to keep folks enthralled with a little unusual entertainment on the basement floor. After a few spirited speeches in Czech, littered occasionally with vulgar English phrases, partygoers were treated to a piercing rap quartet.

The setup seems out of place for Prague's tony Lesser Quarter, not to mention the store being a neighbor of the world-famous Infant of Prague. One can only wonder how long it'll last. Who knows, perhaps Ed Hardy will inspire city residents to add a bit more color to their drab winter wardrobes.