Christian Audigier, the French fashion tycoon who rented Michael Jackson the house where he died, is said to be buying Jackson’s Neverland.

Asked about the ranch which Jackson turned into a personal theme park, Christian Audigier told French TV: “I have decided to buy that house.” The designer says he plans to create a Jackson-themed complex similar to Elvis Presley’s Graceland and allow online tours. Colony Capital bought the California ranch in 2008 for approximately $32million and is keen to sell, Neverland is now worth an estimated $95million.

Christian Audigier made his fashion mark as the primary force behind the rise of Von Dutch. His most recent, and hugely successful, ventures include Ed Hardy brand and his own namesake Christian Audigier.

The Los Angeles mansion where Michael Jackson died will be left untouched and become a memorial site for fans.

The home that Michael Jackson rented, in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles, is likely to become a place of pilgrimage for fans, similar to the home in Los Angeles where Marilyn Monroe died in 1962. Christian Audigier said he plans to buy the property from his business partner Hubert Guez, who currently owns it and was renting it to Jackson for $100,000 a month. A spokesman for Mr. Audigier, 51, said: “Christian Audigier, a friend of Michael Jackson, will buy this property to make it a place dedicated to the memory of the star to which the public and fans will have access.”  The spokesman said Audigier wanted to “keep intact the precious moments he shared with Michael Jackson.”

Jackson had been at the house for several months preparing for his planned 50-date residency at the O2 Arena in London. Since the singer collapsed and died the house has been the scene of searches by coroner’s investigators who found powerful sedatives there.

Christian Audigier launching a Michael Jackson clothing

Christian Audigier, the man behind a gazillion bedazzled Ed Hardy shirts, has decided to keep Michael Jackson’s spirit alive and well by launching a King of Pop clothing line. Audigier, who was a close friend of Jackson, was working with the King of Pop on stage costumes for his London concerts.