(London) “I don’t want him on my skin anymore”: disgusted, revolted by Kanye West’s anti-Semitic remarks, Kimberley Westgarth, a 24-year-old British student, is about to get rid of her tattoo of the rapper in London, without spend a penny.
Two years ago, the architecture student had the face of the American rapper tattooed, appearing with tears of blood, on her left arm.
She then loved “his music”, and in particular what he defended, in particular the “bipolar community”, disorders which the young woman explains to be herself affected. “I idolized him at the time.”
But the rapper’s recent anti-Semitic remarks and his displayed admiration for Hitler have changed everything: “I don’t want him on my skin anymore,” explains the architecture student.
Many brands have also cut ties in recent weeks with Kanye West, including sports equipment manufacturer Adidas, ready-to-wear chain Gap and fashion house Balenciaga.
It will take Kimberley Westgarth twelve laser sessions to get rid of her tattoo.
The process, which consists of spraying ink particles with a laser which are then gradually eliminated by the body, should be completed in a year. In the meantime, she hides this tattoo.
Established for two years in the upscale district of Marylebone in London, the Naama studio has launched a program called “second chance”. It consists of free removal of tattoos that have become a burden over the years and a constant reminder of a painful past: membership in a gang, a stay in prison, a toxic relationship, hateful symbols…
A program now extended to Kanye West tattoos, and which has received a hundred applications, explains Melina Lawson, head of the establishment. The process is underway for two people.
“It’s a path” for those who have their tattoos removed, when “you no longer like the tattoo and what it means to you,” she explains.
“It can be a bit sensitive for the client, but as they go through the treatment they start to change themselves”, “they see that it is being removed and that there may be something else” , she adds.
According to the manager, apart from this free program, the total price to remove a tattoo amounts to an average of 2000 pounds sterling (about 3320 CAD dollars), but of course varies according to its size and the number of sessions required.
But “the social impact” that the removal of a tattoo can have, “the positivity” that it can generate brings more than money, assures Melina Lawson, explaining that the establishment thus fills small empty spaces in its agenda, but ensures that these customers are treated like any other.