Thank You, SoHo: Celebrating New York Tattoo Culture

After opening nine locations, you’d think I’d be used to it by now. The chaos, the energy, the anticipation that goes into a grand opening event. I’m not. I still find myself overwhelmed by the process of it all, on the verge of panic — until the day comes. Every time, I go in the morning to help set up, and all I can think about is what could go wrong – that there aren’t enough hours in the day to prepare. Time doesn’t pause to let me catch my breath. But once I start talking to the Skin Design Tattoos team? Once guests start showing up? All of that fades away. These are my people. This is my community. I’m so grateful to be a part of something filled with so much creativity, art, and genuine support. While so many industries tear each other down for the sake of competition, I’ve found that people in the tattoo community go out of their way to be uplifting. We celebrate each other’s wins. The success of each individual artist elevates our art form as a whole. It’s so humbling. Opening our newest location in SoHo, New York, was no different. But it still inspires me everytime.

The Grand Opening Night and the Essence of New York Tattoo Culture

Monday, May 13, 2024. A night to remember in the city that never sleeps. The party radiated with energy — from the drinks to dancing to the blue carpet — and really captured the essence of Skin Design Tattoos as a brand. Tattoo artists, industry influencers, and anyone in between all came together to connect over body art and self-expression. So many diverse, talented, and passionate creatives came to celebrate with the SDT family. We had Shiggy from “The Shiggy Show” bringing the laughs and good vibes all evening. Cast from VH1’s “The Black Ink Crew” joined us, so many local artists, and tattoo legends from all over the world. This event not only put a spotlight on me — but brought awareness to the SDT brand, within the SoHo neighborhood and beyond.

Building Community Through New York Tattoo Culture

Robert Hernandez, global tattoo icon, came to cheer me on and celebrate with us. I’ve known Robert for nearly two decades — almost as long as my oldest daughter has been alive. I’ve been lucky enough to not only watch his career take off, work alongside him as a guest and resident artist, but also have been able to know him as a person. His work and story blows me away. I feel fortunate to call him my friend. Seeing Robert – and so many other masters of their craft – show up to congratulate me, was truly touching. The whole experience felt so surreal. The level of camaraderie was almost palpable. Guests were in almost as much awe as I was — and still am. Local competitors (many who don’t normally get along with each other) showed up, put their past behind them, and embraced me and all of SDT into the community.

It was invigorating — having so many artists come together in one space. So many people I respect and admire — all there, showing support to me and showing love to the brand. It’s been such an honor to blend the Skin Design Tattoo family with other renowned artists from the industry, like celebrity portrait artist Keith Hernandez, and just let loose and party together. And New York? New York really knows how to party.

New York has so many different subcultures, so many different stories and neighborhoods. There’s so much history in every district, and SoHo is no exception. SoHo has its own past to be proud of: incredible cast-iron architecture, a thriving urban art scene, and a legacy of fashion trends and icons. Before our grand opening, I often asked myself where I’d fit into all of that. When I decided to open up a studio in SoHo, so many people warned me that I wouldn’t be accepted into the local community. They said SoHo’s roots ran too deep, that people’s circles were too small. I heard that New Yorkers take care of their own, and that I wouldn’t fit into that definition. I’d forever be an outsider. I’m a refugee from Cambodia. There’s no one place I call home. I find myself in Hawaii one day and Las Vegas the next. I’m the farthest thing from a native New Yorker. With so much history, there wouldn’t be space for me to create a path for Skin Design Tattoos.

Except, none of that was true. Despite my fears and the doubts of others, SoHo has welcomed me and the SDT family into the community without hesitation. It was a historic turnout. Throughout the night, our studio was filled with over 600 people! I am beyond blessed to have the opportunity to contribute to such a vibrant culture, to be able to create something bigger than myself in such an incredible city.

It was a big investment, opening such a high-end studio in such an expensive, exclusive city. And a big risk, too. In the current economy, the state of the industry is wavering. An unprecedented amount of shops are closing up, artists are moving away from traditional studios, capital investors are threatening the remaining ownership, and the scene is more saturated than we’ve ever seen before. So, for Skin Design Tattoos to keep defying these boundaries, continue to expand in the face of adversity, it’s controversial. It’s making a lot of noise in the industry. So many of the SDT team were feeling worn down before the opening. It can be tiring to not only put in the hours that we do, to sacrifice time with our own families to show up for our clients, but to do all of that with the weight of a struggling industry on our backs. But this grand opening was like a reset. We see that we’re not only being accepted into the SoHo community, but that we’re making a difference. And we’re not doing it in vain. To say that I’m proud of the SDT team would be an understatement.

Building a Legacy with Skin Design Tattoos

This was more than a grand opening party. This was me building on the legacy I’ve created – something my daughter, Reena, can inherit. I get to share a piece of NY culture with my daughter, and we get to leave our own mark, together. This was me renewing my faith in people, in my fellow artists, and solidifying my place in SoHo’s art scene. I won’t take for granted the trust that the community has placed in me. This is just the start. So many talented, innovative resident artists get to make their home in SoHo, get to continue to define our place in this community — including many I’ve had the privilege of mentoring myself. Reena, Linh, Lia, so many other artists — and our SDT family is still growing. Not even a full week later and we’ve had some incredible artists from the event reach out to potentially join the SDT crew. Our energy, our togetherness — those vibes have proven to be infectious. That’s what Skin Design Tattoos is all about. Sharing art, creating experiences, making connections. Leaving the industry better. God has blessed me in so many ways, given me the ability to do more than just paint pictures on skin. There’s a greater purpose for me. To push boundaries and help make other people’s lives better. This grand opening only affirmed that for me.

Thank you to our sponsors, Philip Phlien and Villon, and Shawn, my PR manager, for helping make this event such a success. Thank you, SoHo. And thank you to everyone who’s believed in us along the way. So, here’s another toast to the next chapter of Skin Design Tattoo’s story. Here’s to art, here’s to friendship, and here’s to New York!