Model and photographer Ira Chernova arrives at the Vogue.com offices in a jumpsuit with a rolled-up cuff that reveals a fist-size tattoo of a horse on her ankle. The dipped back of her T-shirt shows off a skull tattooed on her shoulder. Like many women of her generation, Chernova has tattoos. Unlike many women of her generation, she has a lot of them: Her collection of body art includes one full sleeve, a covered thigh, a dagger right below her navel, and a lone hourglass behind her ear, among others. She is unabashed about integrating the ink into her daily looks: On her Instagram, her tattoos proudly complement her wardrobe of sheer crop tops, floral dresses, and strappy tanks. It’s not that it’s intentional, it’s just who she is. “I don’t dress to show off my tattoos,” says Chernova. “They are my skin.” But, she admits, her ink has perks: “It’s also useful as sort of an accessory.”
Chernova’s tattoos have become her calling card in the modeling world: Her alternative look has landed her a spot on the cover of Inked, and she recently modeled in the youth-beloved Polish label Misbhv’s Spring 2017 presentation. In most of these images, her tattoos are showing, but Chernova wasn’t always so open. Growing up in Moscow, tattoos were mostly associated with prison gangs, and showing them off was relatively taboo. Chernova would cover up to avoid confrontation. “I would get so much hate from older generations, and that was the worst,” she says. “Unless I had to wear less in summer, I would never show [my tattoos] too obviously, because people would stare.”
Since moving to New York six years ago, Chernova has embraced a certain sense of freedom—and an ability to style entire outfits around her tattoos. “For me, if there is too much skin exposed, it is unbalanced. And then too much attention goes onto the tattoos,” says Chernova. “I’ll wear something like a summer dress, but with trousers underneath. I’ll wear a crop top, but with high-waisted jeans and interesting accessories. It is a mix . . . I want to stay feminine but not in an obvious way.” One thing she shies away from? Prints—unless they are floral. “I have floral-print silk flares and a jacket,” she says. “Something has to stand out in the look, especially if I’m not wearing accessories.”