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.
A model presents a creation of Peruvian designer Ani Alvarez Calderon during Fashion Week in Lima, Peru, April 25, 2017. (Photo by Guadalupe Pardo/Reuters)
A model presents a creation by Portuguese designer Alexandra Moura during the Portugal Fashion show in Porto, Portugal, 17 March 2019. (Photo by Jose Coelho/EPA/EFE)
A model presents a creation by Kazakhstan's designer Naiyl Baikuchukov during Kazakhstan Fashion Week at National Academical Theater of Opera and Ballet in Almaty, Kazakhstan on April 11, 2018. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)
Models prepare backstage before presenting creations of Belarussian designer Tatyana Efremova during the Belarus Fashion Week in Minsk, Belarus, 14 April 2018. (Photo by Tatyana Zenkovich/EPA/EFE)
Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen walks the ramp to showcase the creation of designer Sunita Shanker during Lakme fashion week winter 2018 in Mumbai, India, Thursday, August 23, 2018. (Photo by Rajanish Kakade/AP Photo)
Models present creations by Georgian designer Lasha Jokhadze during the Tbilisi Fashion Week in Tbilisi, Georgia, October 19, 2018. (Photo by David Mdzinarishvili/Reuters)