Story by Anna Carlson
Fashion is temporary; artistry is forever. Tattoo artist and fashion designer Maya Hogan uses skin as a blank canvas for all her creative endeavors. Atlanta-raised, Hogan grew up in a specific cultural hub that developed her self-expression concepts.
Hogan has many identities but to her core, she is a tattoo artist. In sixth grade, she began a Sharpie tattoo business in the back of the class, charging her peers $20 for a half-sleeve of doodles. At age 16, Hogan started her first tattoo apprenticeship “the second [she] could drive using a fake ID.” After five years, Hogan has put in countless hours in the studio to perfect a steady hand and tattoo excellence. Within the tattooing industry, Hogan made connections in the Atlanta music scene. Many of her tattoo designs for recording artists were strongly influenced by their genre.
Maya Hogan
Photos: David Grinage (@d.g.noble)
“The part about tattooing that really resonates with me is the way they can transform someone’s self and body. Tattoos are something that allows us as artists to connect with and be understand someone by building a sense of trust and collaboration, to create a permanent work of art,” Hogan says.
Hogan’s whole design ethos is heavy on collaboration. Currently, Hogan is a senior at Pratt Institute of Design. During her time in fashion school, she found many of her fellow designers were struggling to get noticed. To solve this problem, Hogan envisioned a collaborative runway show. Her debut show, titled “Project Ahimsa,” was truly a community effort. Hogan organized a roster of creatives to model, promote, and market emerging designers while raising money for a creative youth non-profit, Ahimsa. After gaining synergy from her fellow creatives, Hogan’s newest collection, “Inksomnia,” pushed her forward to establish her brand identity.
During Winter NYFW 24, Hogan presented “Inksomnia,” a collection fusing tattoo technicalities with fashion-forward looks. Even as an early career designer, Hogan has mastered collection cohesion. Through the screen prints, clever cut outs, ink patterns, laser-etched cybersigils, every design seamlessly referenced tattoo metaphors. Her fascinating silhouettes and impeccable tailoring created consistency on the runway. Another nod to tattooing were collection pieces that used tattoo gloves to construct the garment. One look featured a top entirely made up of tattoo gloves, while another piece used gloves as applique. “Something I absolutely love is ephemeral tattoos because of the option to let them fade fully. I think the machine-programmed tattooing that’s being developed reminds me of laser burning designs into fabrics,” Hogan shares. Hogan’s diverse artistic practices and her end-results set her miles apart from other designers, since no one else is doing work quite like this.
Right now is the best time to be introducing such contemporary ideas in the fashion industry. Reflecting on this past NYFW, Hogan mentions she hasn’t been as impressed or excited about recent concepts by big brands, with the majority of their production using unsustainable practices. With all that in mind, Hogan has decided to turn down producing her work with certain manufacturing companies. Instead, she wants to collaborate with other designers and fabricators to produce clothing, even if most of the weight will fall on her.
One specific niche trend that interests Hogan is the “digital clothing” movement. “I’ve been seeing a lot of digital accessories or clothing pieces that can be downloaded and added kind of like a filter when taking a photo to the outfit you already have on,” Hogan explains. “I was thinking about attaching NFTs with custom purchases or a 3D version of a tattoo that can be a filter for your skin when you buy a piece.” That being said, Hogan’s main focus is to create personal relationships with all the clients she designs for, ensuring their personalization.
The perpetual need for brand commercialization doesn’t phase Hogan, who finds more value in connecting with her customer base. “By taking aspects of the tattoo world itself and literal tattooing, I’m able to offer my clientele a non-permanent window into what I do,” Hogan shares. Hogan won’t compromise the quality of storytelling to make sales; instead, she furthers others’ stories – making her creations permanent.
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With love,
FWO
