Lichtenberg began designing in summer 2000.[3] His clothes are sold through specialty boutiques and top department stores in Los Angeles, London, Paris and Milan.[2]
In September 2013 he made his first New York Fashion Week presentation at Pier 59 for his Spring-Summer 2014 collection.[4] His second presentation was held on 9 February 2014 at The Hub, in The Hudson Hotel.[5]
In 2006, Lichtenberg designed the "BRIANEL No. 1" T-shirt, the first a line of T-shirts, sweatshirts and other sportswear garments bearing logos that parodied those of major established brands such as Chanel (Brianel), Balmain (Ballin), and Hermès (Homiès).[6] They have been seen on celebrities such as Miley Cyrus.[7]
In 2013, Lichtenberg designed a line of sweatshirts similar to American football jerseys for the Los-Angeles based boutique Kitson, but with the names of pharmaceutical drugs "Adderall", "Vicodin" and "Xanax" across the backs at shoulder level with a two-digit-number.[8] They were advertised with the slogan "Pop one on and you'll feel better, just what the doctor ordered", and were criticised for trivializing prescription drug abuse and mental illness.[8][9] The drug companies also threatened to sue unless the shirts were taken off the market, and the Partnership at Drugfree.org charity released a statement disassociating themselves from the line and refusing to accept any direct donations of funds raised through the shirt sales.[10][11]
Lichtenberg released a statement saying:
I have created a collection of t-shirts that are a parody of pop culture. This particular collection of prescription tee's is simply a commentary on what I see happening in our society. Call it what you may, but art in all forms is created off of pop culture and the social situations that surround it. A large percentage of Americans are prescribed these drugs by doctors everyday for legitimate reasons . These are not illegal substances. These tee's are not meant to encourage prescription drug abuse, but if they open the door to a much needed dialogue, as they seem to be doing now, then mission accomplished.[12]
In September 2013, Lichtenberg filed a US$100 million lawsuit in Federal Court in Los Angeles against his brother Christopher and other parties, alleging trademark infringement, unfair competition and defamation among other claims.[15] In reporting on the lawsuit, Vanity Fair described Lichtenberg as "sort of like the Weird Al Yankovic of fashion designers".[16]
