MILWAUKEE — People can say a lot of things about tattoo shops. One thing you won’t hear them say is that they are boring.
“I wanted it to feel like you were coming into grandma's living room, like a place you already felt comfortable," Sydney Lange, the owner of Patchwork Collective, a tattoo shop in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood, said.
It's a grandma's living room, if your grandma likes funky dolls, rainbow deer, and a bust that kind of gives Gwen Stefani from her 1990's No Doubt days.
“I knew that when I open my own shop, I wanted to kind of do things in my own way," Lange said.
Watch the story on Patchwork Collective here...
Which meant decorating however she saw fit. Not one bit of wall space is left uncovered. One of the things I love about doing stories in tattoo shops, they're always kind of weird inside. Really eclectic art, statues, and just items on the walls. However, I think that actually speaks to a larger point, that anybody who walks into a shop, especially one like Patchwork Collective, can see themselves reflected on the wall there.
“A lot of queer people live here, and I just wanted to make sure there was a space that explicitly stated that they were welcome here," Lange said.
Patchwork Collective is a women- and queer-owned shop that opened in 2023.
“Not that we need a pride flag or anything, but I think it's good to show that we are the community that we serve," Lange said.
The other two artists here, Vincent Powers and Keelie Murphy-Besaw, are also queer.
“We all kind of are different parts of the LGBTQIA+, so it's really fun that our clients all kind of can see our identities and relate to them, get tattooed by us," Lange said.
One of the main goals of Patchwork Collective is that anyone can come in regardless of gender, sexuality, body shape, or size. When they do come here, you'll be affirmed and accepted, and you'll feel comfortable getting your tattoo.
“I think there's something really special about being a lesbian and getting tattooed by a lesbian. It's a unique experience because you can connect on a different level," Des Devooght, who was getting a fish tattoo on their leg, said.
Devooght is a super fan. They have about a dozen tattoos from the artists at Patchwork Collective.
“They keep joking that they're going to get me a shirt that says I got tattooed by all three artists at Patchwork Collective and all I got was this stupid t-shirt," Devoght said.
All of this isn't to say other shops aren't inclusive, but {atchwork Collective wanted to make that explicitly clear. They're here for the LGBTQ community.
“I’m actually helping people love their bodies and feel good about their bodies. That's definitely like a magic I never thought could be possible until I started tattooing," Lange said.
And that's what Sydney and the staff here will keep on doing for years to come.
Patchwork Collective is an appointment-only shop. Schedule a consultation or appointment here.
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