This post is long overdue… I have always been fascinated by tattoos and the industry that surrounds it. Tamar Thorn from The Body Architects Tattoo Studio is a dear friend and is one of my personal favourite tattoo artists. She is responsible for my modified Viveros piece on my upper arm and is one of the best portrait tattoo artists in South Africa. She took some time to chat to us about fashion, being a female tattoo artist and business woman as well as some of her favourite pieces!
Q: Before becoming a tattoo artist, you were an amazing fashion designer… What made you leave the fashion industry?
A: I think I got into the fashion industry for the wrong reasons and if I look back I was never very happy doing all that stuff. Of course there were inspiring aspects to it. I loved designing prints and artworks and doing storyboards, but as the import side of things grew, the artistic element of the work died significantly. Also it became more and more a job of getting a garment designed by someone else (overseas designers mostly), tracing the pattern, finding the fabric and trims and putting it into store, which killed the idea of ‘design’ for me. I started really craving some kind of creative outlet and spent more time painting at home.




Q: So many young girls want to get into the fashion industry, it always seems so glamorous- as someone who made it out alive, what are the things they do not tell/teach you at fashion college?
A: I think my answer above covers this! Haha! Although I do need to point out I never went to college. I went to a big fashion company straight from school and worked my way up from making tea for the designers. I suppose they don’t tell you that unless you have your own label and your own space to sell, you won’t make a name for yourself. If you are designing for a company you won’t get any recognition. It can end up being quite soul destroying. Also you have no idea the amount of time and effort and phonecalls and emails and arguments and wheeling and dealing and driving around and hair pulling and crying it can take for a button. Not even kidding. Continue reading →
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