Here at Garment Printing, we’re lucky to have an office in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We’ll give you a clue, it’s a place with great architecture, great Mojitos, probably the world’s most famous football team and of course, an awesome T-Shirt printing company. It was the last clue that gave it away, right? It’s the Catalan capital, the beautiful Barcelona.
Of course, having an office in one of the world’s most popular cities has an abundance of plus points. It’s not just the beach, the trendy bars and the inspiring museums that ensure the Garment Printing team always has something planned for the weekend. One of the biggest highlights of having an office situated in the metropolitan city of Barcelona is the HUGE number of events which takes place here. Whether it’s Mobile World Congress, Sonar or the Smart City world congress, there’s definitely something for everyone throughout the year.
This week, we’re expecting to see a mass of heavily illustrated people viewable from the Garment Printing office windows. The city is set to become a sea of bright colours, patterns and of course, the odd “Mom” tattoo. This weekend Barcelona will be hosting the annual tattoo expo.
To celebrate the fact that this year is the 20th anniversary of Barcelona’s tattoo expo, here at Garment Printing, we thought we’d get into the spirit. No, our team are not all getting matching “I LOVE PRINTED CLOTHING” tattoos (although this could be a good idea, right?). Instead, we’re settling for the less painful option of bringing you a blog post which is dedicated to the tattoo industry’s impact on fashion. We’ll be counting down our favourite custom clothing and accessories inspired by famous tattoos and tattoo artists.
How can this help you?
The tattoo scene continues to gain popularity. Gone are the days where a tattoo symbolised a badass, someone your parents would warn you to stay away from. Tattoos are no longer a subculture and instead are very much embedded into today’s pop culture. A staggering one-in-five adults sport one, increasing to one-in-three young adults. The trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down, in fact it’s set to get more and more common.
That’s why understanding all aspects of this scene is a great idea for promotion. If your business is seen as being in the know about the mass popularity of this culture, you’re sure to attract millennials a plenty. Taking advantage of this isn’t hard. No, you don’t have to offer free tattoos to your employees or give away a tattoo gift voucher. Instead, you can get involved by promoting the fashion aspect. It’s not just the ink on the skin that are part of this scene. Rather, the tattoo culture has proven influence on printed merchandise. Whether it’s a T-Shirt, a mug, tote bag or even a USB stick, utilising the style promoted by famous tattoo artists is a great way to get your business on the map.
So be prepared to be inspired. Here are Garment Printing’s list of top 5 products and merchandise that has been influenced by the tattoo world.
1. COCA-COLA:
In 2015, Coca-Cola actually did decide to give away free tattoos (albeit transferable). In relation to Hispanic Heritage month, the world famous soda company took the decision to giveaway free transferable tats of surnames. However, that’s not what we’re here to talk about. Three years prior to this, back in 2012, designer Jean-Paul Gaultier became the Creative Director for Coca-Cola. This led to a design of three new bottles of diet coke sporting tattoo inspired aesthetics. All three of the designs related to the oh-so famous old-school sailor tattoos. A universal favourite that’s easy to create, this is a great simple style to use.
2. CARTER GORE:
English bespoke jewellery maker Carter Gore were an instant favourite at London Fashion Week 2017. Starting off as a series of one-off pieces, their “Tattoo Candy” collection is putting their brand on the map. All pieces are inspired by traditional tattoo pieces, including classics like sugar skulls and pop culture references. Simple tattoos that are available almost universally on tattooists flash sheets, they’re a firm favourite for boosting popularity in the fashion industry.
3. TOD’S
Luxury Italian shoe-maker, Tod’s, began an unexpected partnership earlier this year with the world famous tattoo artist Saira Hunjan. Working upstairs in their London Bond Street store, Saira brought the connection between fashion and tattooing to a whole new level by actually tattooing leather bags. The brand’s large Double T bags were tattooed the exact same way a body would be tattooed. While this of course is an expensive option, the real inspiration here comes from the designs. All designs took on a mythical feel, a continued favourite in the tattoo industry. Think about replacing leather with canvas, needs with ink. This could be a definite favourite for a tote bag.Get a Quote Now!
4. ALEXANDER MCQUEEN:
Alexander McQueen has featured a ton of tattoo inspired clothing. However, one of Garment Printing’s favourites is the oh so famous skull scarf. This garment become a signature piece for the brand, seen on numerous celebrities and having replicas made in various high street stores. However, we’re here to talk about the revamp that appeared in Summer 2016. This simple yet stylish scarf incorporated a traditional tattoo style, of course, including a number of skulls. Essentially this scarf is a wearable tattoo flesh sheet.
5. DR WOO / THIERRY LASRY:
In 2016, the tattoo world came to sunglasses via a collaboration between French eyewear designer Thierry Lasry and internationally renowned tattooist, Dr Woo. The result was a limited edition line of sunglasses inspired by that tattooists famous geometric designs. The simple designs were easy to fit on the sunglasses frame, retaining the unique style while also ensuring that they weren’t overpowering. This geometric artwork is a tattoo favourite and a great way to jump on the tattoo wagon without appearing over the top.
