Tattoos are no longer a style statement. They have become more meaningful and people are now getting tattoos that have some meaning to their life, be it the faith they follow or something very close to them. To know about the latest tattoo trends and myths around inking, we spoke to Lokesh Verma, Founder, Devil'z Tattooz to unravel his tattoo secrets. Here's an excerpt from the interview.
What is one big change you have noticed taking place in the tattoo industry in the last few years? Are there any myths that you all have been able to collectively debunk?
In the last few years people have definitely changed their mindset towards tattoos. When I started almost 20 years ago people used to get just mindless things done like a random design from the wall called flash sheet which had no meaning and relevance to them but now people are getting more and more meaningful things done like something related to their faith, family, something they like or love, their passion so basically people are putting some thought behind the tattoo and not just getting random things done just to flaunt the tattoo.
There were many myths surrounding tattoos which have almost all been debunked as time passed for example the biggest myth was that tattooing causes AIDS or cancer or any other disease. It is a myth because if you use a new needle just like any other doctor does and all your other pieces of equipment are either sterilised or for one-time use, then there are zero chances of any of these infections and if these infections have to happen then it can happen at the doctor's clinic also if they don’t follow the same hygiene and safety measures. After working in Europe, the USA, Australia, and so many other countries in the last 12 years and having a studio in Luxembourg after getting the hygiene and safety certification from Europe, I make sure that all our studios follow the same European hygiene standards to give the safest possible level of tattooing in India.
Has there been any particular kind of tattoos that you have noticed gaining massive popularity lately?
LV: I think minimal realism, coloured realism, and geometric tattoos are gaining a lot of popularity because these are the ones that say a lot in the least amount of work. They are so sharp and have a clear message, which the bearer wants to convey through the tattoo without covering up your whole arm and body.
What type of tattoos never go out of style?
LV: A lot of people ask me the same question and it is a difficult one to answer because what is in today will be out tomorrow but if you get something that is meaningful for you then it will never go out of style for you because it will always have a meaning for you.
Many celebs in the west are flaunting face tattoos. Do you think India is ready for face tattoos?
LV: Yes and no. There is not a clear answer to this question because it is not just like a sticker that you can put on your face and take off the next day. To flaunt a face tattoo you should have that IDGAF attitude to carry it off and a lot of people and celebs in India don’t have that bold attitude , although we have some tattoo artists in our Studio who have that kind of a personality and carry face tattoos very well! So, it all depends on the attitude of the wearer.
The pandemic has changed lives drastically. Do you get many requests for tattoos that are associated with the pandemic?
LV: Yes, a lot of people lost their loved ones and there was a sudden rise in Memorial tattoos. A lot of people got portraits of their loved ones or their initials or signatures to keep the memory of the lost ones on their bodies forever.
What do you envision the next few years are going to look like for the industry and are there anything tattoo artists should do to prepare better?
LV: Luxembourg Studio just happened by chance because I have been tattooing in Europe since 2010 and finally we decided to open one here because I have got some clientele from those countries around. Borders of Germany, Belgium, and France are just 30 minutes drive from the city centre of Luxembourg, Amsterdam is 2.5 hours and Switzerland is 3 hours drive approximately. It is a very tiny country so geographically it is very advantageous and we can serve clients from Europe easily in this new studio but I do not have any new plans for 2023 or afterwards. We will see how this goes and maybe we will decide with time if we want to open another international branch.
