Taboo to Tattoo

Taboo to Tattoos: The Full Circle of the Tattoo Industry with Adam Claridge

Tattoos date back to over 5,000 years ago. Tattoos were found as far back as on members of ancient indigenous tribes, using matter from plants to pigment areas underneath the skin and to form scars as a form of identification, rites of passage, and to represent elder and wiser members of tribes. Charles Darwin noted in the 19th century that there wasn’t a single country in the world that didn’t practise the art of some form of permanent body decoration.

From identifying higher-ranking members of tribal communities to being associated with individuals involved in crime & gang culture, and back to now being a key element of pop culture which the masses love & enjoy today, tattoos have done a societal full-circle manoeuvre. It’s no longer uncommon to see people walking around with ink all over their bodies. Art ranges from large pieces that demonstrate people’s devotion & dedication to their particular passions, like football club badges emblazoned across chests, to incredible portraits of pets & family members that stay with their wearers forever.

Even up until recent years, tattoos were so stigmatised. They were associated with prison visits, gangs, and in some cases, even how many people you have murdered! Now, it’s so much more fashionable and acceptable. You see huge public figures like music artists and footballers with some really intricate pieces and now it’s become a lot more accepted into society.

says Claridge.

Previously, individuals were expected to cover up their ink in certain industries due to concerns about professional presentation. This was also dependent upon your chosen profession. Industries that were maybe considered a little more rugged & masculine, like the motor industry, construction & those less corporate were not as strict on tattoo visibility. However, nowadays, it could go as far as being considered discrimination to ask someone to cover up their tattoos or to assume someone is less capable of fulfilling a role because they sport a colourful sleeve—even in the most corporate of workplaces.

It’s not just guys on motorbikes who have tattoos now. The industry has evolved to cater to some tiny, pretty tattoos; some ink really represents feminism, and what it is to be a woman means so many different things now. I tattoo people aged 50, who get tiny fine-line tattoos and it's their first one! It’s so fascinating to see.

Adam adds.

So how has Adam taken advantage of the everchanging landscape that is the tattoo industry?

You have such a great opportunity to expand your customer base by tapping into so many different types of people. By diversifying what I offer with fine-line art, I can accommodate many different characters, and I’ve learned so much from this. I can offer larger pieces to more experienced inkees and I can offer smaller, intimate pieces to those who are getting inked just for them, and not for everyone to see.

I have realised there is a huge crossover with the beauty & glamour industry. Nowadays, many people are making permanent adjustments to their bodies, like filler, Botox and various plastic surgeries, so tattoos naturally fit into that space. As a result, I now work in a beauty salon in Central London once a month, guest spotting and tattooing people.

Members of society have done so well to destigmatize tattoos and I am excited to take advantage of this opportunity from a business perspective, and to see where my tattoo business ends up because of it.

Adam says with a smile.