106-year-old Philippine tattoo artist is Vogue’s oldest ever cover model

Apo Whang-Od is the last “mambabatok”, which describes the 1,000-year-old technique used for tattooing. - PHOTO: ARTU NEPOMUCENO/VOGUE PHILIPPINES via The Straits Times/ANN

VOGUE Philippines has put 106-year-old Apo Whang-Od on the cover of its April issue, making the revered tattoo artist the oldest person to ever appear on the front page of Vogue – still the world’s pre-eminent fashion magazine.

The cover has Ms Whang-Od – also known as Maria Oggay – staring straight into the camera, her lips slightly parted, as if she is about to smile but then had second thoughts about it, and her left arm crossing the width of her tiny body, revealing the geometric, tribal tattoos that have made her so iconic.