They had the memories of their loved ones immortalized on their bodies: « Thanks to my tattoo, my deceased man is still discussing every day »

On the inside of Evenpoels right pols is ‘Oumaïma’, in graceful Arabic characters. « It is nicely written, but I am not the first and not the last to have a tattoo, » said the cyclist about that. Beats. Tattoo player Pauline (24) and Vin (27) also tacked for a special writing: the Balinese. « We had our names put on paper there during a holiday. By a local guide from an old village. That makes our tattoo authentic. It is a very nice writing that is often on temples, » says the couple from Antwerp with their own studio. « When we got back home, we tattooed each other. » They like that there is mystery around the meaning: « Just because it is not in Dutch, people do not know what is on our arms. It is less noticeable. »

Read too. Remco Evenepoel shows off the tattoo of wife Oumi on his wrist: « It is beautifully written »

Although Pauline and Vin never advise against putting their customers the name of their partner in Dutch, they give them advice: « It remains those people their bodies, but we will always imagine that it is also possible in a different language or another script. Even Mors code is nowadays, » says Vin.

“Love Stattoos have been a faux pass for a long time, but things from the past are coming back in hip and more modest form”

Ziggie Hernalsteen

Tattoo artist

It is of all times, tattoos with the name of man, female or sweet. When Christine van den Avont (63) was younger, she and her partner Daniel had a tattoo made of their two names: « We were on vacation by the sea, as in love couple, » she says. « We walked past a tattoo shop, and stepped in impulsively. » She never regretted that. On the contrary. The two remained happy for years, until Daniel died of cancer on Christmas 2003. As a tribute, Christine wanted to immortalize his name on her skin. « That is now eight years ago, » she says. « I had long been together with Peter, my current partner. He never had a hard time about it and accepted my love for Daniel from the start. » We are forever with three, « he says sometimes. »

No risks

Tattoo Artist Ziggie Hernalsteen (28) has more than 8,000 followers on Instagram and put the first letter of someone’s partner this week. “Subtle references are a trend. Given the beautiful meaning, they often get a visible place. Love stattoos are long one faux pas Been, but things from the past come back in hip and more modest form. Such as the ‘Tramp Stamp’, a tattoo on the lower back. Nowadays, people can easily laser tattoos away that the wrong image is lost. There are hardly any risks. « 

« I have an elf on my back, a memory of the time when Daniel and I collected plenty of elves postal hours »

Christine

Charis Brewaeys (31) from Wijnegem, tattoo artist for ten years, notes the same. « When I started, I was more often asked to tattoo a name. Nowadays people choose more symbolism: hearts that refer to the partner, the horoscope of the loved one, a fingerprint or the birth flower. » In addition to her name tattoo, Christine saw the charm for symbolism: « For example, I have an elf on my back, a reminder of the time when Daniel and I collected plenty of eleven -post hours. It offers comfort, because I will forever wear something that he loved. »

Carry the Fire

Els Mertens (67) from Leuven also has two tattoos that keep the memories of her husband warm. Even though Alex has been gone for seven years now. « He was diagnosed as. After a year and five months he died. He was my soulmate, since our school days. We would have been married for 40 years that year. It was a short but terribly degrading agony. » Three months after saying goodbye, Els had the first tattoo put in her life. « Alex would be against it, » she says with a smile. « But for that one time I was allowed to be unfaithful to him. If he was allowed to know the meaning, he would laugh inside. » Alex was a man of few words. “ »No sound but the wind. That was his favorite number, from Editors. The tattoo is about that, with the text Help me carry the fire. Forever. There were times when I made an important decision and that song echoed on the radio. Then I thought: « It’s fine for him. » We played the song on his farewell, when my two daughters, our six grandchildren and I scored Assen in the ocean at the island of Jersey. The second home of Alex and me. 38 years. ”

Els has had a second tattoo since last year. « The place where we scattered him is indicated with a red dot. We were in love with the island. We always looked forward to it for a week in the spring and autumn. We looked forward to it. It was our time. I was there three months after his death and walked around crying. Now it is no more stinging pain, but I look back with a smile.” ”

Thanks to the tattoo. Consciously on the arms, so that Els can see them every day. « People ask about the meaning and that’s nice. I can talk about my husband. Sometimes I see that others get moved. I had to swallow when my daughter came home with Alex ‘name on her wrist, in his handwriting. Tattoos offer support. I could never be without it again. »