Chrome Hearts Matty Boy Explained: Who He Is and What Sex Records Means

Chrome Hearts Matty Boy refers to pieces designed for Chrome Hearts by Los Angeles artist Matt DiGiacomo, who works under the name Matty Boy. They look nothing like the brand's silver-and-gothic mainline. Instead they carry his hand-drawn, graffiti-influenced artwork, with cartoon characters, warped lettering and irreverent slogans, on hoodies, hats, jackets, jerseys and more. Sex Records is the related imprint: a fictional record label that grew into a series of Chrome Hearts pop-ups and limited collections.

Chrome Hearts is a private company and does not publish detailed histories of its lines, so everything below comes from fashion press such as Hypebeast and Highsnobiety and from DiGiacomo's own gallery. Where something cannot be confirmed, we say so. Once Legos is an independent NYC reseller of pre-owned Chrome Hearts. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or authorized by Chrome Hearts, and this is an explainer, not an official brand statement.

Who is Matty Boy?

Matty Boy is the moniker of Matt DiGiacomo, a Los Angeles-born, LA-based artist. His gallery, Honor Fraser, says his illustrations have drawn wide attention in the fashion industry and draw on skate parks, boardwalks and graffiti-lined streets. Its biography also says he has served as Creative Director of Chrome Hearts since 2018, and Hypebeast and Highsnobiety use the same title when they cover his projects. In fall 2023 the gallery gave him his first solo exhibition, 'Loading...', which ran from September 9 to December 2 and mixed paintings, sculptures and customized merchandise.

He is an artist working within Chrome Hearts, not the brand's owner. Chrome Hearts was founded in 1988 and trade press such as WWD names Richard and Laurie Lynn Stark as its co-owners. That is worth knowing because search suggestions show people asking whether Matty Boy owns the company. The sources we reviewed give no support for that.

How the Matty Boy pieces came about

2017: custom paint on Chrome Hearts pieces

Hypebeast reported in March 2017 that Chrome Hearts had enlisted DiGiacomo for a collaborative project. A GRIND magazine video showed him customizing leather jackets, bags and accessories in paint and ink, with the brand's usual Rolling Stones lips swapped for his own mouth graphics and raw, DIY-style illustrations. He also did a live painting session at the Chrome Hearts store in Aoyama, Tokyo.

2018: Sex Records at Maxfield in Los Angeles

In November 2018 a pop-up billed as 'SEX RECORDS by Matt DiGiacomo' opened at Maxfield, the Los Angeles boutique. Hypebeast described a limited collection of leather jackets, flannels, T-shirts, fanny packs, silk scarves, hats and leather goods, plus hand-illustrated office chairs and a one-of-a-kind Vespa scooter, with references to mod culture and bold 1980s color combinations. The artwork used what Hypebeast called his 'signature vexed text and imaginative characters with social commentary.'

Highsnobiety later reported that Laurie Lynn Stark launched the imprint as 'part artist series, part talent incubator,' and described it as a little more casual than mainline Chrome Hearts.

2021: Sex Records in New York

Sex Records returned in September 2021 as an appointment-only installation beside Chrome Hearts' West Village store in New York. DiGiacomo styled it as a 1990s big-box toy store with a racing theme. Hypebeast listed race-inspired sunglasses packaged like toy cars, branded toilet paper and shopping baskets, leather jackets and patched leather goods, and apparel printed with 'SEX' and '69.' Highsnobiety also noted customized motorcycle helmets, bomber jackets, work pants and reworked jeans, and that sunglasses were sold online too.

On the name, DiGiacomo told Highsnobiety that he has always liked the word because it 'puts people on edge.' That is the whole concept: deliberately cheeky, and deliberately unlike the brand's silver and leather heritage.

Why collectors pay attention

Hypebeast has written that DiGiacomo is 'known for offering some of the rarest pieces available at Chrome Hearts,' and in September 2022 it covered a one-off, hand-painted Matty Boy Nike Air Force 1 listed through a luxury consigner. In this context rarity generally means limited runs, pop-up sales and one-off customs rather than a documented production number, so it is worth asking exactly which kind of piece you are looking at.

What we could not confirm

Chrome Hearts has not published a complete list of Matty Boy releases, so there is no authoritative catalog. Release years quoted in resale listings and on forums vary, and we treat them as a seller's claim rather than a fact. If a listing gives a specific season or year, ask what it is based on.

What Matty Boy pieces look like

The common thread is the artwork: loose, hand-lettered, cartoon-like graphics rather than the brand's formal gothic type. When we checked Google's autocomplete in October 2026, the words most often paired with 'Chrome Hearts Matty Boy' were hoodie, hat, shorts, long sleeve, crewneck, socks and belt. That points to graphic streetwear, rather than jewelry, as the core of the line's appeal.

It is not limited to tops, though. Matty Boy designs have also appeared on pieces we have listed at Once Legos including a hockey jersey, a quilted nylon jacket, a racer jacket, joggers, board shorts, trucker and bucket hats, a ring and a pair of glasses. Some pieces also keep Chrome Hearts' cross patches. Hypebeast's 2021 write-up mentions leather items with cross patches alongside the SEX and 69 graphics.

Matty Boy or Sex Records: which name is which?

Matty Boy is the artist's name, and Sex Records is the fictional label he invented as a theme. In practice the two names are used loosely. A piece with the SEX graphic might be described as Matty Boy, as Sex Records, or as both, and we have not found a naming key published by Chrome Hearts. Our own listing for a desert camo bomber, for example, carries both names in its title. For searching, that means trying each variation, and for buying it means relying on the photos of the piece rather than on the name in the headline.

Do not confuse either name with Deadly Doll. That is a separate brand tied to singer Jesse Jo Stark, the daughter of Chrome Hearts owners Richard and Laurie Lynn Stark, and it has its own history, which we cover in a dedicated guide.

Matty Boy versus mainline Chrome Hearts

If you are used to the brand's sterling silver, daggers and floral crosses, think of Matty Boy as the playful end of the catalog. Highsnobiety's phrase for Sex Records, 'a little more casual,' is a fair summary. Buyers who want silver should start with Chrome Hearts jewelry. Buyers who want graphic pieces with a story behind them usually look at hoodies and zip-ups and hats first.

Matty Boy sits in the same family as other collaborative projects, which we cover in our guide to Chrome Hearts collaborations.

Buying a pre-owned Matty Boy piece: what to check

• Name the exact design. Listings are titled 'Matty Boy,' 'Sex Records' or 'Chrome Hearts x Matty Boy' almost interchangeably, so ask for the design name, the color and photos of every label.
• Ask for the inside of the garment. Tags, care labels and stitching should be photographed clearly, along with the full graphic in even light and any hardware or patches.
• Compare against a genuine piece of the same design. Our guide to authenticating Chrome Hearts hoodies and T-shirts covers the checks that apply across apparel. We are not aware of a verified, published checklist specific to Matty Boy, so be cautious of anyone who claims one.
• Look closely at the print. Graphic prints can crack, fade or peel with wear, so ask for close-ups and check the condition grade against the photos.
• Get measurements. Fit varies by garment and cut, and we have no verified brand-wide answer to 'does it run small.' Ask for chest, length and sleeve measurements and compare them against your own best-fitting piece.
• Ask where and when it was bought. Pop-up pieces were sold in limited runs, and the 2021 installation was appointment-only. A receipt does not prove authenticity, but a believable purchase story is a useful signal.

Where Once Legos fits in

Every piece we list is physically in hand in New York, authenticated and graded Brand New, Excellent, Great, Good or Fair, and all sales are final. Matty Boy and Sex Records items turn up regularly in our inventory, and the selection changes. To handle pieces in person, book a private visit at our NYC Showroom; it is appointment-only and walk-ins are not accepted. If you own a piece you no longer wear, Sell To Us with photos for a same-day offer.

The bottom line

Chrome Hearts Matty Boy is the work of artist Matt DiGiacomo for Chrome Hearts, and Sex Records is the fictional label he built into pop-ups in Los Angeles and New York. The documented history is short and well covered by the press, while individual release dates and quantities are not. Buy by the design in front of you, verify it in hand, and treat any date or rarity claim as unproven until it is backed up.