The Contour of Luxury Spring/Summer 2018 | Page 38
May I begin by saying thank you for accepting my
invitation to be featured as my ‘Person of Intrigue’
in this spring issue of my publication, The Contour
of Luxury. The category of ‘Person of Intrigue’ I felt
was befitting you, as from first sight of your work, I
was tremendously intrigued. As I learned more about
your personal story and then more about The Family
Business Tattoo Parlour, the next thing I knew I was
giving orders to my staff to contact you right away.
I am instinctively attracted to creative people who
step out and dare to be expressively different all
while creating and maintaining high quality in what
they create. You have this skill set in spades. (You’re
an expert at this).
So let’s get started shall we? I know everyone wants
to hear more about you, The Family Business Tattoo
Parlour and the dynamic and multifaceted Coppoletta
Brand… ~Alexis Day
Q & A
Alexis Day Alexis Day
I would like to start with a brief summary of how
you started your tattoo journey. You are Italian
born, and you studied law into your mid 20’s.
However, you were drawn to the tattoo world, so
much so that you moved to London and worked
as an apprentice, which lead you to the title of
professional tattooer and subsequently to your
current success path as King of International
Tattoo. How does one go from a path of
becoming a lawyer to becoming a professional
tattooer? What was it that enticed you to make
that bold move? In 2003 you opened The Family Business Tattoo
Parlour , a professional tattoo studio, in London’s
Exmouth market. Can you share a little bit of the
back-story to that? For instance, what was your
initial inspiration to start this business and was
there anything significant about this particular
location?
Mo Coppoletta
When I decided to start tattooing, I was already a
collector and obsessed with the art for a few years.
At the time the only way to get information and
updates on the industry was to buy international
magazines, books but most of all to travel to
conventions and to visit my favourite studios in
the world.All of the above had an aura of magic
and romanticism that my lawyer career lacked of,
or at least I thought so. When I fall in love with
something, it becomes an obsession, so I dived
into this fantastic world of tattooing without
even realising. With the support (or threat) of
my closest friends I decided to give it a try and
moved to London.
Mo Coppoletta
After 5 year spent in two prestigious studios of
the capital, it was time for me to open my own
shop, to apply my own vision of the craft with
the customer service I always wanted. I always
had this idea in mind, but I knew I had to wait
for the right time.
I stumbled upon Exmouth market a few years
before and it stuck with me, it is such a peculiar
street, the majority of the businesses are still
independent, that adds a lot to the character of
the street.
Most of all it locates in the heart of what was
once London’s little Italy, it couldn’t be more
appropriate, I think the name of the studio was
a consequence of it.