Photo: Getty Images1/20Eve Salvail
As fashion’s girl with the dragon tattoo, Eve Salvail turned heads throughout the ’90s thanks in large part to the unforgettable ink—on her head. Making the decision at 18 to shave her head and get marked while traveling through Japan, Salvail was spotted by designer Jean Paul Gaultier who elevated her to It-girl status almost immediately.
Photographed by Mario Testino, Vogue, December 20002/20Carolyn Murphy
All-American beauty Carolyn Murphy may look stately in ads for Estée Lauder, but her koi fish tattoo hints at a wilder side. On display here in a photo by Craig McDean, it’s one of the largest and most intricate designs on any model.
Photo: Shutterstock3/20Freja Beha Erichsen
Though Danish star Freja Beha Erichsen has several notable tattoos—including a gun on her arm and the word “redemption” on her left forearm—her most memorable is “float” written in cursive along the left side of her neck.
Photo: Shawn Brackbill4/20Catherine McNeil
Having been described as a “tattoo addict,” Catherine McNeil has transformed her body with over a hundred works of art. One of the largest, the rose tattoo that covers a side of her torso, has been immortalized in countless ads and magazine covers around the globe.
Photo: Indigital.tv5/20Daria Werbowy
An avid sailor known for spending months at a time at sea, Daria Werbowy’s abstract wave tattoo pays tribute to her love of the open water.
Photo: Getty Images6/20Jourdan Dunn
As a mom, model, and businesswoman, Jourdan Dunn chose to put the symbol of the Egyptian goddess Isis on her upper back, as she too is a deity of sorts representing motherhood, spirituality, and protection.
Photo: Getty Images7/20Cara Delevingne
Created by Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy, the man behind Rihanna’s Egyptian-influenced ink, Cara Delevingne’s lion tattoo has inspired countless imitators. The supermodel initially only wanted the word “Lion,” but Bang Bang convinced Delevingne that an image would be even badder.
Photo: Alamy8/20Isabeli Fontana
Isabeli Fontana’s loving tribute to her first child, the gothic-scripted “Zion” tattoo with angel wings surrounding it, is undeniably cool.
Photographed by Phil Oh9/20Slick Woods
Slick Woods’s in-your-face personality has made her a modeling sensation, and her body art only furthers her appeal. And with a mini machine gun at the center of her chest, she keeps things cheeky.
Photo: Alamy10/20Erin Wasson
It seems fitting that fashion’s ultimate rock chick would have song lyrics tattooed somewhere on her body. Erin Wasson’s choice of “This heart will start a riot in me” on her right arm comes from Paramore’s “That’s What You Get” off their 2007 album, Riot!
Photo: Condé Nast Archive11/20Omahyra Mota
With insects, roman numerals, and other symbols covering her body, Omahyra Mota has plenty of body art to chose from—but the “Dios altisimo” on her arm is especially memorable.
Photo: Getty Images12/20Gisele Bündchen
With a teensy star inked onto her wrist, Gisele Bündchen joins the ranks of tattooed models. And why shouldn’t she? Keeping the celestial theme going, the supermodel also has a moon tatted on her ankle.
Photo: Getty Images13/20Jamie Bochert
Placement is almost as important as design, and Jamie Bochert’s elegant snake bones creeping up her spinal cord hits both notes.
Photo: Courtesy of @jonboytattoo14/20Kendall Jenner
Sometimes the best body art is the kind that is nearly invisible. Hidden inside Kendall Jenner’s lower lip is the word “meow,” a phrase she chose on a whim that resulted in an online frenzy once revealed on Instagram, of course.
Photo: Getty Images15/20Behati Prinsloo
Who needs a daily affirmation when you’ve got a constant reminder (actually, three) etched onto your body? Behati Prinsloo’s tongue-in-cheek “Your so cool, You’re so cool, You’re so cool” tattoo serves as a fun note to self, as well as a tribute to her relationship with husband Adam Levine, who has a matching one on his right bicep.
Photo: Getty Images16/20Kate Moss
Of course Kate Moss’s tattoos are just a little bit cooler than everyone else’s. Designed by artist Lucian Freud, her twin sparrows were created the old-fashioned way—with ink and a scalpel.
Photo: Getty Images17/20Ruby Rose
It never hurts to pay homage to your influences, and Ruby Rose’s photo-realistic tattoo of the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat is a permanent tribute to his talent.
Photo: Courtesy of @jonboytattoo ; Splash News18/20Bella Hadid
How do you commemorate a modeling milestone? If you’re Bella Hadid, it’s all about getting a little celebratory ink. After walking the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2016, Hadid visited celebrity tattoo artist JonBoy for a pair of angel wings on both of her ankles.
Photo: Courtesy of Natalie Westling / @nataliewestling ; Getty Images19/20Natalie Westling
As a longtime Vans representative, one might think that Natalie Westling got her famous skateboard tattoos to celebrate the collaboration, but her offbeat tattoo of the iconic brand’s logo was done prior to her becoming their spokesperson. That’s branding at its best.
Photo: Courtesy of Tasha Tilberg / @tasha_tilberg20/20Tasha Tilberg
Flowers As a fan of DIY tattoos, Tasha Tilberg has created many of her own, including the geometric shapes on her arms, but the colorful flowers that cover her shoulder remains one of the most beautiful skin designs in fashion.
