Tribal tattoos: the ink that defined the 2000s and many now hide

Tribal tattoos: the ink that defined the 2000s and many now hide

The tribal tattoo was the defining body art of the 2000s. Inspired by George Clooney in From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), it became a symbol of rebellion and status among young people. Two decades later, many of those who wore one hide it under solid black ink or quietly regret it.

The rise of the tribal and its cultural influence

The tribal's popularity was no accident. Its bold, wrapping geometric designs became associated with an image of toughness and exoticism. Yet the very icon who made it fashionable —Clooney— dropped it for his next film, leaving his imitators with a permanent mark that aged badly. In Spain, the tribal became tied to certain stereotypes: from working-class neighbourhoods to the parody of the executive who brags about his Porsche and €80,000 salary but sports a tribal under his Armani shirt.

From regret to cover-ups: the tribal legacy

Changing tastes have led many to cover their tribals with blackouts (fully black tattoos) or replace them with more current designs. The classic "Mother's Love", hearts, the beach lifeguards' barbed wire and even a portrait of Camarón are all part of that decade's catalogue. The nostalgia and humour with which those tattoos are remembered today show the cultural distance from the 2000s.

Will the same happen to the minimalist tattoos and geometric lines filling studios today? Time — and laser removal sessions — will tell.