Fashion, but you can’t take it off

November 18, 2024

Fashion, but you can’t take it off

One of the most common questions for a new couple is, "How did you guys meet?" Most people are curious about the beginnings of a relationship, so how DID fashion and tattoos come to go hand in hand?

 

The First Encounter of Fashion and Tattoos

Let’s dive into the beginning of this new era: Maison Martin Margiela’s first collection, the 1989 Spring/Summer season. One image really stands out: a black-and-white photo of a woman with bold eye makeup, her hands on her hips, gazing into the distance. At first glance, it looks like she’s not wearing any clothes, but instead has tribal patterns painted on her body. This was an intentional look by Martin Margiela, and one of the most iconic pieces from the SS89 debut show.

 

 

The trompe l’oeil tattoo T-shirt which creates this optical illusion was inspired by a 19th-century illustration of a man with tribal tattoos from the French territory of Nuku Hiva. In this context, tribal tattoos typically refer to traditional designs made up of black lines, dots, and abstract shapes.
At the time, tattoos were strongly associated with rebellious and criminal figures like gangsters and pirates, making them far from acceptable in mainstream society. Yet, Margiela boldly fused these tattoos with fashion. His decision to feature tattoos—often dismissed as a taboo—in the Maison Martin Margiela debut show was regarded as nothing short of shocking at the time.

 

 

The Godfather of American Tattoos: Sailor Jerry

Norman Collins, better known as Sailor Jerry, was one of the most influential tattoo artists of the 20th century. The Old School, or American Traditional tattoo style, originated in the U.S. and Sailor Jerry was the one who truly defined it. His influence didn’t stop at tattoo culture of course, it also extended to the fashion industry. Let’s take a second to explore the legacy of Sailor Jerry.

 

 

Influenced by Asian culture, he deeply admired the work of traditional Japanese tattoo masters and blended Japanese and American tattoo styles to create his own unique approach. Not only did he pioneer the use of single-use needles to reduce skin damage, but Sailor Jerry also paid special attention to hygiene by introducing sterilizers to tattooing and inventing pigments that were less harmful to the skin. His dedication to advancing tattoo culture at every turn is what makes him a true pioneer.

Inspired by this legendary ink master, Martin Margiela revived Sailor Jerry's retro tattoo designs in Maison Margiela SS14 Couture Collection.

 

 ©vogue.com

 

Who Was the First Person to Get a Tattoo?

The oldest physical evidence we have of tattoos comes from Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old mummy found frozen in ice. Ötzi is believed to have lived around 4,000 B.C., proving that tattooing has been practiced for thousands of years.
The word "tattoo" is derived from the Tahitian term tatau, meaning "to mark something." The purposes of tattoos vary widely across cultures. In ancient civilizations like Egypt and India, tattoos were used for religious devotion, to signify nobility or fertility. Tattoos also served multiple other functions: indicating social status, marking criminals, declaring love, showcasing achievements, or providing artistic expression.

    

 

As time went on, improvements in tattooing techniques, the influence of tattooed celebrities, and the growing acceptance of tattoos as a form of personal expression transformed how people perceived them.

“Tattoos, for me, are like a timeline of my life.” -Tyga

Tattoos: The Blue Chip of the Fashion World

1994

Jean Paul Gaultier, who had just experienced a resurgence through his collaboration with Y/Project, released the ‘Les Tatouages (1994)’ collection to celebrate the trompe l’oeil T-shirt from Maison Martin Margiela’s 1989 debut show, a piece created by his former protégé and intern.
"I love mixing and playing with clothes, people, social classes, and genres," says Gaultier, who boldly blended tattoos and fashion in his collections to create his own unmistakable style. This grotesque aesthetic of his is immediately evident, just take a look at the image below to see it for yourself.

   

ⓒvogue.com

 

2015

New York-based tattoo artist JK5 (Joseph Ari Aloi) teams up with Rei Kawakubo for the Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus collection. A multidisciplinary artist known for his work in painting, drawing, sketching, and graphic design, JK5 infused the clothing with tattoo-inspired word scripts. The collection, which centered on themes of death and ritual, featured heavy imagery like “Born to Die,” charcoal drawings, distorted faces, and depictions of unidentifiable fears. Rei Kawakubo’s collaboration of fashion and tattoo art conveyed a powerful message about the need to confront the darkness and the weight of mourning head-on.

 

 ⓒVogue.com

 

2017

After graduating from Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo in 1984, Junya Watanabe joined Comme des Garçons as a pattern maker, building an impressive career. Known for his avant-garde style rather than following conventional paths, Junya Watanabe gained widespread recognition for his unique approach. Let’s take a closer look at his SS17 Men’s Collection. Renowned for his innovative fabrics and draping techniques, Watanabe turned to tattoos for inspiration in the 2017 season. Models sported bold, fake tattoo makeup that resembled abstract art. He incorporated tattoo-inspired designs into panel shirts and jackets, creating the illusion of fully tattooed arms, and extended this concept to half-sleeve shirts that looked like canvases for these intricate designs.

 

ⓒVogue.com

 

2019

Design collective VETEMENTS was founded by Demna Gvasalia and his brother Guram Gvasalia. In 2019, Demna stepped down, and Guram took over as the new creative director. Even in the VETEMENTS collections created by Demna and Guram together, the clear influence of tattoos can be seen.

    

ⓒvogue.com

    

Reflecting on VETEMENTS’ 10th collection, the SS19 collection, Demna Gvasalia stated, "I dedicated this collection to the Georgian war that took place where we lived." The collection opened with a striking tattoo skin top on the first catwalk. If you’re observant, you might have already noticed that this piece was inspired by the aforementioned Maison Martin Margiela’s trompe l’oeil tattoo T-shirt. The Gvasalia brothers used the tattoo skin top to express the anxiety, fear, and pain of war, printing it with Russian criminal tattoos, symbols often associated with gangsters. Some Russians reacted strongly at the time, feeling that the collection exploited the criminal aesthetics tied to fraud, murder, and violence.

    

2023

In 2020, Marc Jacobs introduced Heaven by Marc Jacobs, a polysexual line that appeals to multiple genders. Heaven also released a tattoo book curated by photographer and filmmaker Manon Macasaet.

The Heaven Tattoo Zine features a collection of works from various creatives, embodying the brand's signature Y2K aesthetic. Known for its playful designs that blend subculture and gender-fluidity, Heaven by Marc Jacobs perfectly pairs its unique aesthetic with the art of tattoos, like a fine wine complements a well-chosen meal.

 

ⓒHeaven by Marc Jacobs

 

Today, people get tattoos for a variety of personal reasons. Ink etched into the skin can give us a boost of confidence while helping us to discover our unique identity. This magical power has also made its mark on the fashion industry, drawing out the individuality of designers and models alike. One can't help but wonder how the inevitable clash between fashion and tattoos will continue to invigorate art and shape new chapters in its history.