Congratulations to the award-winning writer, broadcaster and Crumb Human, Afua Hirsch, on her recent piece for British Vogue on the liberating and powerful experience of getting her first tattoo at 40. This beautiful piece touches on her ‘ life-changing journey of reclaiming her body from colonialism’ and how the ancient art form of adornment alongside tattooist Emmy La Grizzly has helped celebrate her body and deepen the connection to her ancestral culture. 

'These women’s tattoos appear as a profound statement of identity and pride in their cultural heritage, transforming the wearer, as one author has described it, “into social beings with collectively recognised identities, the prerequisite of any culturally patterned social life”. The pattern of much of my life, by contrast, was dictated by forces that had little to do with my cultural heritage. In my former life as a barrister, I had to wear a black suit every day and keep my hair straight. As a TV journalist, I could wear colours, but only those deemed compatible with the corporate branding. My jewellery, accessories and natural hair textures were all the subject of discussion by male managers. If I had wanted a tattoo, anything visible would have been out of the question.'

We are proud to represent Afua for fashion and advertising campaigns, if you'd like further information or to chat through a brief just drop the team a line,