Test Drive inked mag | Page 4

RebelRebel Fashion’s Fixation on Multiple Piercings and Tattoos A merica’s core cultural reference books, professional who play a significant role in setting the culture’s contemporary journals, newspapers and magazines recognize mores and behavior patterns. During the last fifteen years, two tattooing as a well-established art form that, over distinct classes of tattoo business have emerged. The first is the the last three decades, has undergone dramatic changes. In “tattoo parlor” that glories in a sense of urban outlaw culture; the 1970s, artists trained in traditional fine art disciplines began advertises itself with garish exterior signage; offers “pictures- to embrace tattooing and brought with them entirely new sorts off-the-wall” assembly-line service; and often operates with less of sophisticated imagery and technique. Advances in electric than optimum sanitary procedures. The second is the “tattoo art needle machines and pigments provided them with new ranges studio” that most frequently features custom, fine art design; the of color, delicacy of detail and aesthetic possibilities. The physical ambiance of an upscale beauty salon; marketing campaigns nature of many local tattooing establishments also changed aimed at middle- and upper middle-class professionals; and as increasing numbers of operators adopted equipment and procedures resembling those of medical clinics -- particularly in areas Once a taboo practice largely confined to sailors and street hoodlums, tattooing has evolved into a highly prized fashion product for celebrities and millions of middle-class consumers. “by-appointment” services only. Today’s fine art tattoo studio draws the same kind of clientele as a custom jewelry store, fashion boutique, or high-end where tattooing is regulated by government health agencies. The cultural status of tattooing has steadily evolved from that now skewed heavily toward mainstream customers. Tattooing of an anti-social activity in the 1960s to that of a trendy fashion today is the sixth-fastest-growing retail business in the United statement in the 1990s. First adopted and flaunted by influential In the last two decades, tattooing in U.S. women has quadrupled, and it is estimated that almost half of the tattoos now being done are on women. antique shop.The market demographics for tattoo services are States. The single fastest growing demographic group seeking rock stars like the Rolling Stones in the early 1970s, tattooing tattoo services is, to the surprise of many, middle-class suburban had, by the late 1980s, become accepted by ever broader women. Tattooing is recognized by government agencies as segments of mainstream society. Today, tattoos are routinely both an art form and a profession and tattoo-related art work seen on rock stars, professional sports figures, ice skating is the subject of museum, gallery and educational institution art champions, fashion models, movie stars and other public figures shows across the United States. 25