A model displays an outfit of Spanish designer Andres Sarda Spring/ Summer 2019 collection during the Madrid' s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on July 09, 2018. (Photo by Óscar del Pozo/AFP Photo)
A woman dressed in a Tang-dynasty costume performs at a show by designer Chu Yan at China Fashion Week in Beijing, China, October 30, 2018. (Photo by Jason Lee/Reuters)
A model wears a dress made out of recycled material during a show organised by LGBT fashion designers to battles discrimination in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, October 24, 2018. (Photo by Samrang Pring/Reuters)
A model presents a creation by designer Alexis Mabille as part of his Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show in Paris, France, January 21, 2020. (Photo by Francois Lenoir/Reuters)
A model presents a creation for Kenzo by Japanese fashion designer Tomoaki Nagao aka Nigo during Kenzo fashion show at the North Bund Bay in Shanghai on July 28, 2023. (Photo by Jade Gao/AFP Photo)
British singer and actress Lily Allen attends the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History in New York on November 3, 2025. (Photo by Charly Triballeau/AFP Photo)
A model walks down the runway at the 13th China International Young Fashion Designers Contest during China Fashion Week on March 25, 2005 in Beijing, China. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)
Tattoos are commonly used among criminals to show gang membership and record the wearer's personal history—such as his or her skills, specialties, accomplishments and convictions. They are also used as a means of personal expression. Certain designs have developed recognized coded meanings. The code systems can be quite complex and because of the nature of what they encode, the tattoo designs are not widely recognized.