Abraxas

An illustrator with a preference for epidermis over canvas, Loïc Gignoud spent some years practising his tattoos on pigskin before moving into the human market in 1992. He rapidly made a name for himself, both at home and overseas, and in 1998 he capitalised on his growing reputation by opening his own boutique in the heart of the Marais.

With its classy, somewhat sterile decor, and its sidelines in jewellery and piercings, Abraxas boldly announces its distance from the hordes of squalid tattoo parlours whose bad hygiene have given the industry a dirty name. Gignoud's 15-strong team of artists cover all the bases from old-school through to realist and tribal, offering a dizzying range of designs entirely in keeping with the owner's stated ambition to cater to all types of clientele. The formula works: Abraxas has since opened three other branches, and counts several French celebrities among its fanbase.