- Kat Von D is extensively identified for her work as a tattoo artist and because the founding father of her namesake magnificence model.
- She was born in Mexico, immigrated to the US together with her mother and father as a toddler, and received her begin within the tattoo trade on the age of 16.
- Von D later turned a family title as she starred in “Miami Ink,” “LA Ink,” and wrote books about her life.
- Nonetheless, she’s additionally been tied to varied controversies all through her profession, together with claims of anti-Semitism, backlash for her parenting views, and feuds with web stars.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Kat Von D is many issues: a tattoo artist, a reality-television star, and a former magnificence govt.
She’s additionally a controversial determine who has been met with claims of anti-Semitism, confronted backlash for her parenting views, and feuded with web stars.
Regardless of her divisive public persona, Von D has had a wide-ranging profession and made an influence on popular culture. Right here’s what it’s essential learn about her, from her tattoo legacy to her fall from the wonder trade.
Kat Von D was born in 1982 as Katherine Von Drachenberg.
Sylvia Galeano and René Drachenberg welcomed Kat Von D into the world on March 8, 1982. She was born in Montemorelos, a metropolis within the state of Nuevo León, Mexico. In an essay for Popsugar in 2016, Von D defined that her household had moved to the realm in order that her father may work as a missionary physician.
She added that their residence “didn’t have electrical energy or operating water for a very long time,” and that she was bathed in a plastic bucket as a toddler. Von D additionally described a few of her earliest reminiscences as “operating round barefoot on the packed grime,” which served as her residence’s flooring.
By 1988, when Von D was 6 years previous, her household had immigrated to Loma Linda, California, alongside different members of the Seventh-Day-Adventist religion, in response to Von D’s essay.
She began utilizing make-up as a youngster to assist categorical herself.
Speaking to Dazed Digital in 2019, Von D mentioned she initially “fell in love with the theatrics and drama of make-up,” and used magnificence merchandise as an “outward expression of no matter it was that was occurring inside.”
“I used to be impressed by music, music, music!” she advised the publication. “I bear in mind as soon as I found punk-rock music, it wasn’t essentially a mode that I used to be emulating, however I subscribed extra to the sensation of being free. The honesty that comes from ‘not giving a f—.’ That’s what actually formed my type.”
She then started tattooing on the age of 14, and dropped out of highschool to pursue her ardour.
As previously reported by Glamour UK, Von D gave her first tattoo – a small Misfits cranium – to a good friend on the age of 14. On the time, she used a DIY tattoo gun created from a guitar string and a motor that was meant for a cassette participant.
Two years later, 16-year-old Von D dropped out of highschool and received a job at Sin Metropolis Tattoo in Los Angeles, California, in response to the publication.
Although Von D’s mother and father had been supportive of her artwork, the tattoo artist told PR.com in 2008 that that they had some bother accepting her profession alternative.
“I feel after I began getting tattoos it was actually scary for them, and you recognize, I had a Mohawk and I used to be 14 after I stopped going to highschool,” she mentioned. “My dad’s a health care provider and so they had been missionaries for the church. It was type of scary for them, however a decade later, and a TV present later – no matter it takes to make them perceive the place I’m coming from.”
Although the choice to depart faculty nervous Von D’s mother and father, the selection ultimately led her to star on two seasons of “Miami Ink.”
“Miami Ink” was a reality-television present that premiered on TLC in 2005. Although Von D wasn’t part of the show’s original cast, she was requested to fill in for artist Daren Brass when he injured his elbow throughout its first season.
Von D told PR.com in 2008 that she initially thought the concept of a tattoo-themed present sounded “boring,” although she later got here round and was excited to be its first feminine star. That being mentioned, Von D added that “there was friction” between herself and different forged members.
“It didn’t find yourself fairly, and it was time for me to go residence,” she advised the publication. Von D ultimately left the collection in 2007.
TLC gave Von D her personal spin-off collection referred to as “LA Ink.”
After leaving “Miami Ink” in 2007, Von D started to star in her personal collection “LA Ink” that same year. In a now-archived 2008 interview with Inked Magazine, the tattoo artist mentioned her present had “triple the quantity of viewers” that “Miami Ink” did. She additionally described the latter program as “monotonous and repetitive,” which she felt was completely different than her spin-off.
“The blokes weren’t keen to contain their actual life within the present, whereas I promised myself, apart from my divorce, I might discuss something,” she advised the journal. “Individuals can relate to you extra once you’re actual and present your imperfections. I’m an open ebook. Our present is extra rock ‘n’ roll and trustworthy.”
She additionally added that she was pleased with the present’s editors for not together with footage that confirmed her “wasted.”
“I by no means thought that I might care about that stuff, however after studying emails [from viewers], I don’t need children to assume it’s cool to be a wastoid,” she advised Inked Journal. “The primary time I used to be on ‘Miami Ink’ I mentioned I dropped out of highschool at 14, after two weeks. Then I get 12-year-olds telling me they need to drop out of faculty and be a tattooer too. I used to be like, ‘F—!’ That isn’t one thing I promote in any respect.”
In 2007, she set a world file for tattooing the most individuals in a single day.
On December 14, 2007, she tattooed a Guinness-approved LA logo in red-and-black ink on 400 individuals. She charged $US20 for every tattoo, with proceeds going to the Vitamin Angels nonprofit organisation. Some individuals lined up 48 hours forward of time for an opportunity to get the tattoo, and police later needed to break up a crowd of greater than 1,000 individuals, according to the World Record Academy.
To verify she tattooed as many individuals as doable, in response to the Academy, Von D is claimed to have drunk minimal liquids, wore nicotine patches in order that she wouldn’t crave cigarettes, and solely took 3-minute-long breaks.
The file was later damaged by Robbie Koch, who gave over 577 tattoos in a single day.
Von D has dozens of tattoos herself, which embrace names of family members, portraits, and extra.
Speaking to PR.com in 2008, Von D described tattoos as a type of expression: “I didn’t do that as an attention-seeking act of rebelling. It was extra, I truly identical to this and I need to get tattooed, and I would like it a lot that I don’t care if different individuals deal with me otherwise.”
Von D additionally mentioned that whereas she used to present herself tattoos, she later started accumulating physique artwork from 30 to 40 artists all over the world. According to TatRing, a few of her items embrace Beethoven’s initials, portraits of her mum and sister, a number of flowers, and quite a few nods to her exes. Her most notable tattoo is arguably the string of stars round her left eye.
Fortunately for Von D, she doesn’t remorse any of her ink.
She told Inked Magazine in 2008: “I’ve a lot of individuals’s names on me and it’s not a lot like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna remorse my ex-husband’s title on my neck.’ It’s extra like a time in my life that I don’t remorse. I don’t remorse my divorce both. I’ll rock it endlessly.”
She ultimately needed to cease taking tattoo appointments to compensate for her lengthy listing of requests.
Whereas it’s unclear precisely when Von D stopped taking tattoo appointments at Excessive Voltage Tattoo, she told Dazed Digital in 2019 that she promised herself way back to “work actually arduous” and get to a spot the place she “wouldn’t need to depend on tattooing for cash.”
“I needed to have the ability to tattoo freely and supply my craft as a present to whomever I tattooed,” she advised the publication. “For me, it was liberating to take the monetary a part of it out – nevertheless it’s not one thing I essentially ‘promote.’”
On the time of writing, the High Voltage website says Von D is without doubt one of the “most-requested artists” at its studio. Nonetheless, “she is now not accepting requests for tattoos as a way to meet up with those she has.”
She entered the wonder trade in 2008 as a part of a cope with Sephora.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Von D’s model launched as a limited-edition line on Might 12, 2008. On the time, it solely provided a set that included 4 lipsticks, two eye-shadow palettes, six eyeliners, and brushes.
She appeared on Hillary Kerr’s “Second Life” podcast in January and shared some perception into the creation of her namesake magnificence model. She mentioned she “had no concept” what she was doing when Sephora first referred to as her, however that she was a “bit defiant” in ensuring that she and her model didn’t “slot in” with others on the time.
“I used to be making an attempt to create one thing that wasn’t made, and we did that,” she said. “I bear in mind telling them, ‘Hey, I don’t go to Sephora as a result of it’s f—ing boring. At the moment, you’ll stroll down the aisle and all the things was the identical.”
Von D’s model shortly turned a favorite amongst make-up lovers and sweetness influencers.
Whereas Von D’s followers had been instantly keen on her model in 2008, different magnificence lovers caught on a couple of years later. YouTubers particularly helped her merchandise rise to fame on-line, with influencers like Manny MUA, Tati Westbrook, and NikkieTutorials making movies about her line.
The recognition was seemingly the results of Von D’s distinctive packaging, standout shades, and progressive launches. As Cheryl Wischhover reported for Racked in 2017, the tattoo artist launched one of many first long-lasting matte lipsticks via her model.
The Kat Von D label additionally seemingly did effectively by way of gross sales. Kendo, the proprietor of the cosmetics line, described Kat Von D to Wischhover in 2017 as one among its “top-selling manufacturers.” And whereas Sephora doesn’t share gross sales statistics, as identified by Racked, Von D’s Studded Kiss Lipstick is said to have been the retailer’s best-selling lipstick in 2015.
She turned an creator in 2009, and has launched three books so far.
Her first ebook, “High Voltage Tattoo,” particulars the beginning of Von D’s life, her early profession, and pictures of her many tattoos.
She then adopted up with “The Tattoo Chronicles,” an illustrated diary about tattoos she’s given, in 2010, and her 2013 assortment of essays titled “Go Big or Go Home: Taking Risks in Life, Love, and Tattooing.”
On the peak of her fame, Von D fashioned a friendship with controversial web persona Jeffree Star.
Although Jeffree Star is now known as a controversial makeup mogul, he initially rose to fame on MySpace and through his music within the early 2000s. In a 2016 YouTube video, Star defined that he met Von D round that point in 2007 when he emailed her to request a collection of tattoos.
He additionally talked about that he’s featured in all three of her books, and skim a passage that mentioned: “My expensive, expensive Jeffree. Thanks for being part of this dream for me. You’ve added a lot shiny, glittery life to not solely this ebook, however my tattooing. So proud to name you a good friend.”
Star then thanked Von D for giving him “among the most lovely art work” he’s ever seen.
Von D, alternatively, had featured Star on “LA Ink” in 2011, and named a baby-pink lipstick “Jeffree” after the web star and his signature shade.
Von D and her model confronted backlash in 2013 and 2015 after it launched lipsticks with controversial shade names.
In 2013, the Kat Von D model launched a beige lipstick named “Celebutard.” As HuffPost reported at the time, clients – in addition to moms and organisations like Down Syndrome Rebellion and All About Developmental Disabilities – expressed frustration with the title throughout social media.
Sephora pulled the product from retailer cabinets because of the backlash, and Von D reportedly wrote on Twitter: “On the finish of the day, it’s only a f—ing lipstick.” She then deleted the tweet, according to HuffPost.
Two years later, the Kat Von D model launched yet one more lipstick with a questionable title: “Underage Purple.” Individuals argued that the title “suggests its wearers are both younger women making an attempt to look horny, or girls of authorized age who’re making an attempt to appear to be younger women,” as Business Insider previously reported.
Von D stands by the title “Underage Purple,” and mentioned in 2015 that she wouldn’t apologise for it.
In a lengthy Facebook post shared on March 19, 2015, Von D mentioned she may perceive “why some have discovered purpose to be offended” by the title “Underage Purple,” which she took credit score for creating. Nonetheless, she needed to “appropriate” individuals who “clearly misinterpreted the title itself, and the inspiration behind it.”
“I clearly bear in mind sporting a variation of this shade after I was 16 years previous,” Von D mentioned on Fb. “I additionally bear in mind the sensation of wanting so badly to go see a selected live performance at this age, and never with the ability to get into the venue as a result of I used to be underage. Again then, I used to be already deeply in love with punk-rock music, and though within the eyes of many (together with my mother and father), it might have been inappropriate for me to be sporting lipstick. However I did.”
She went on to explain “Underage Purple” as an “unapologetic” color that represents “female insurrection” – not a color that evokes “sexualization of any type” or promotes “a damaging way of life.” She then added: “So, NO. I refuse to sacrifice my integrity and inventive freedom. NO. I can’t be pulling ‘Underage Purple’ from my assortment. And NO. This isn’t an apology.”
She introduced that she’d make her cosmetics line vegan in 2016.
Although the Kat Von D model was cruelty-free when it launched, it wasn’t vegan. Von D determined in 2016 that she needed to transition all current merchandise and take away those who couldn’t be made with completely different substances, as Cosmetics Business reported at the time.
“I wasn’t vegan after I first began the model over a decade in the past,” Von D told Dazed Digital in 2019. “So, the extra I turned knowledgeable on veganism, the extra I needed to ‘walk-the-walk.’ I had no concept, at the moment, that animal-derived substances had been utilized in make-up.”
“As soon as I realized extra about what was going into formulation, I made a decision, together with my workforce’s help, to transition all our non-vegan formulation to be 100% vegan,” she continued. “Sure, it took time, cash, and energy, however all value it to me.”
That very same yr, her friendship with Star got here to an finish — creating one of many greatest feuds within the on-line magnificence group so far.
Star launched his magnificence model, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, in 2014.As Insider’s Jacob Shamsian previously reported, Star initially promoted the road via his YouTube channel and with the assistance of Von D.
Two years later in 2016, Von D publicly ended her friendship with Star via Instagram, in response to Teen Vogue. Star and Von D later argued on Twitter, main Von D to movie a YouTube video – that has since been deleted and reposted by followers – the place she referred to as out Star for bullying, utilizing veganism to promote make-up, and never paying the artist who created his model’s brand, amongst different claims.
Star replied with a video of his own, during which he claimed Von D backed out of being an investor in Jeffree Star Cosmetics, and that he had paid the artist Von D talked about in her video.
Von D spoke out in opposition to the concept of constructing a wall to forestall immigration from Mexico in 2017.
She shared a photograph from her childhood on February 1, 2017, and wrote in her caption that she was born in Mexico. Von D additionally mentioned the “concept of constructing a wall between the US and Mexico damages us all on so many ranges.”
“The ridiculous/apparent monetary harm it could do to our nation is insignificant when in comparison with the underlying message it sends that one race is beneath one other,” she continued. “I AM MEXICAN. I AM ARGENTINIAN. And I AM AMERICAN. We shouldn’t neglect we’re a nation of immigrants.”
Although the photograph remains to be on her web page, her caption was seemingly eliminated in direction of the tip of October 2020. Representatives for Kat Von D didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for touch upon the matter.
She married Rafael Reyes, also referred to as Leafar Seyer, in 2018.
The couple married legally on February 21, 2018, according to an Instagram post, and held a marriage ceremony months in a while June 2, 2018.
The unconventional ceremony included all the things from a red wedding dress to upside-down crosses. Von D gave followers a deeper look into the reception through a YouTube video, which exhibits their extravagant crimson venue, marriage ceremony friends wearing all black, their heartfelt vows, and extra.
Shortly after their marriage ceremony, Von D was met with backlash in response to an Instagram submit the place she mentioned she wouldn’t vaccinate her then-unborn baby.
In a now-deleted Instagram submit, Von D mentioned she had been “bombarded with unsolicited recommendation” since turning into pregnant, as Insider previously reported. She went on to say that she’d have a pure, drug-free residence start with a midwife and doula, and that her baby could be raised vegan and with out vaccinations.
The backlash was swift from individuals who argued that vaccines are essential in controlling ailments, and that it could be “irresponsible” for a star to unfold the other message. A boycott of the Kat Von D magnificence model started because of this.
In March 2020, Von D advised the Los Angeles Instances that regardless of her Instagram submit, she’s not an anti-vaxxer “at all.”
“In relation to the vaccine situation, I used to be six months pregnant on the time, and I used to be nonetheless making an attempt to determine my birthing plan to have my son,” Von D told the publication. “And, on the time, I made a totally inconsiderate submit on my Instagram on whether or not or not I might vaccinate my son. And, due to it, individuals assume I’m one thing that I’m not.”
“However the fact is, I’m not an anti-vaxxer in any respect,” she continued. “I simply made a mistake, and I used to be fully uninformed. It was silly, and I actually shouldn’t have opened my massive mouth on the topic.”
The vaccine backlash led to the recirculation of claims that Von D and her husband are anti-Semitic.
In 2008, TMZ reported that Kat Von D allegedly wrote an anti-Semitic autograph to her “Miami Ink” costar Ami James. There have been no witnesses to the message being written, in response to the publication, although fellow costar Chris Garver advised TMZ that Von D handed him the photograph. TLC – the community that hosted Von D’s actuality present – investigated the matter on the time, and Von D referred to as the autograph a “forgery,” in response to TMZ.
On the time, TLC advised TMZ that Von D “vehemently denied authoring the textual content” and {that a} “full investigation was instantly performed.” It decided that “inadequate proof existed to conclude that she had” written the autograph, and “no disciplinary motion was taken,” as TLC advised the publication in 2008. Representatives for the community didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark.
Her model, alternatively, launched a pink lipstick called “Selektion” – a German phrase for choice used by Nazis – in 2015, and Von D compared animal slaughter to the Holocaust in a 2017 Fb submit, a lot to the dismay of many viewers.
The TMZ article and comparable examples had been extensively recirculated in 2019, as some individuals argued that criticism against Von D’s stance on vaccinations was hypocritical when the same was not shared in response to claims of her being anti-Semitic.
In response, Von D filmed a YouTube video in March of that yr titled “I am NOT a nazi. I am NOT anti-vaxx.”
She mentioned within the 11-minute video that an unnamed “Miami Ink” costar felt “threatened” by her reputation and powerful girls whereas she was nonetheless on the present. Von D mentioned that on the time, this costar sabotaged her tattoo tools, despatched her inappropriate pictures, touched her with out her consent, and later used the anti-Semitic autograph, which Von D mentioned was cast, within the hopes of cancelling her spin-off present.
As Remezcla previously reported, many viewers took situation with the video, as Von D didn’t point out key cases of alleged anti-Semitism – like when her former boyfriend dressed up as a Nazi whereas they had been courting, and the swastika tattoo her husband has (which he says is just not German or “political”) on his neck.
The couple welcomed a toddler, named Leafar Von D Reyes, in late 2018.
“Meet our lovely child boy, Leafar Von D Reyes,” Von D wrote in an Instagram post alongside a photograph of her husband holding their child subsequent to a black carriage. “Thanks to all our beloved buddies+household, followers+followers in your persistence in us asserting his long-awaited arrival!”
“To be trustworthy, my husband @prayers and I need to take the following 40 days [the 4th trimester] to deal with the child and our superb relationship transitioning into superb parenthood – so, please excuse us if we’re not on right here as a lot for a short time,” she continued. “Simply know we love you all and thanks for all of the phrases of affection+help! ????”
Von D created a vegan shoe line in 2019.
She introduced Von D Shoes in October 2019. The model sells all the things from sneakers to platform heels, all of that are created from 100% vegan supplies.
The enterprise is without doubt one of the quite a few the reason why Von D determined to promote her make-up model initially of 2020.
On January 16, Von D introduced on Instagram that she sold her shares of Kat Von D to Kendo, an organization she partnered with for 11 years. She mentioned that whereas she needs she may stability elevating her baby, operating her shoe firm, and making music with the wonder model, she “simply can’t do all the things on the most capability.”
“This was not a straightforward choice, however after cautious consideration, I made a decision I needed the make-up line to proceed to thrive and develop, and I imagine Kendo is primed to do exactly that,” she wrote.
“As a way to keep away from any confusion with such a giant change, Kat Von D Magnificence will take a second to rebrand itself, so you’ll begin noticing the change from KatVonD Magnificence to KvD Vegan Beauty,” she added.
She later mentioned influencers had been partially in charge for her leaving the trade.
Throughout an look on the “Second Life” podcast in January, Von D said the beauty industry has become “a culture thing” filled with influencers who let you know what to purchase and the right way to look to “be cool.”
“It type of throws me again to how I felt after I was a child,” she mentioned. “I really feel like I’ve stepped away from it loads, partially on goal, and the opposite a part of it’s, clearly, I simply – after having the child, after which I wrote an album years in the past, and I used to be speculated to launch it final summer season, after which I received pregnant.”
The sentiment echoes one thing she told Racked in 2017 forward of a Kat Von D fragrance occasion, which Von D didn’t invite influencers to.
“Influencers have plenty of followers,” she advised the publication. “I don’t assume half of these influencers are on-brand. We don’t repost them. I don’t actually relate to them. I’d reasonably choose individuals with smaller follower counts that I truly admire and which can be cool and which can be completely different, you recognize?”
In early October, Von D opened up about her expertise being “kidnapped and locked up” at a boarding faculty.
In an Instagram video, Von D described her experience at Provo Canyon School in Utah – which she referred to as a”f—ing lockdown facility” – because the “most traumatic six months” of her life.
The tattoo artist mentioned within the clip that she was 15 when she was forcefully taken out of her bed room by two “massive dudes” and one “athletic-built lady.”
She then added that she endured a “fully degrading” strip search, was pressured to shave her head, and was led to imagine that she had contracted HIV from her tattoo work whereas there.
Now, Von D is seemingly having fun with life at residence and making ready to launch music.
In latest months, Von D has been energetic on Instagram, the place she shares pictures of her home decor and videos of her young son.
She’s additionally been documenting the method of making her debut album, which she hopes her son will sooner or later be pleased with.
“I’ve made loads of errors in my brief lifetime, some extra public than others, and I hope my son received’t be too embarrassed, and as an alternative be taught from them,” she wrote on Instagram. “However now, as a sober, grown-arse lady, trustworthy spouse, and devoted mom, I simply need Leafar to have the ability to look again in any respect that I’ve accomplished and be proud,” she continued. “He might not find yourself liking my music, my tattoos, and even assume his mum attire humorous, however I hope he no less than grows as much as respect and love me for who I’m.” She added: “Who is aware of, perhaps when he will get older we are able to make music collectively, too. ????”
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