Vogue Philippines featured Apo Whang-Od as its April cover star, a move that makes the 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines the oldest person ever to appear on the cover of Vogue.
Whang-Od - also known as Maria Oggay - has been perfecting the art of hand tattooing since she was a teenager, learning under her father's guidance.
She is considered the country's oldest mambabatok - or traditional Kalinga tattoo artist. To make the tattoos, she uses only a bamboo stick, a thorn from a pomelo tree, water and charcoal.
Today, international visitors seeking out her geometric designs make up the bulk of her clientele. The art can only be passed on to blood relatives, and Maria has been training her granddaughters for several years.
"We believe that the concept of beauty should evolve to include diverse and inclusive faces and shapes. What we hope to speak about is the beauty of humanity," said Vogue Philippines Editor-in-Chief Bea Valdes.
Prior to Maria's cover, the record for the oldest model on a Vogue cover was held by actress Judi Dench, who appeared on the cover of British Vogue in 2020, aged 85.
