Melbourne tattoo artist Samy Baby on zodiac signs, symbolism and self-expression

What the stars, our jewellery and our tattoos have in common.

For millennia, humanity has looked to the stars and made meaning. Travellers found guidance as they traversed oceans and deserts; the Yolngu people saw a story of law, taboo, and the tides; ancient oracles untangled the fate of kings. Today, when we look to the stars, we often learn something about ourselves.

As part of this year’s Now or Never festival, Pandora has partnered with Melbourne tattoo artist Samy Baby to bring an immersive Zodiac Tattoo Studio to the city. From August 28 to 30, attendees can explore the connection between identity, self-expression, and astrological symbolism through the lens of jewellery and tattoo artistry. 

Interested to hear how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.

At the event, you can book an exclusive zodiac-inspired tattoo (permanent or temporary), explore the new Pandora Talisman collection and engravable jewellery, or deep-dive into the divine with an astrology reading. It’s a collaboration that, some might say, was written in the stars. 

Though all distinct, our zodiac signs, jewellery and tattoos can each communicate something about who we are and how we want to be seen. Samy (a self-identified ‘true’ Aquarius) tells me that discovering more about her star sign has been instrumental to understanding herself. “It’s taught me to forgive a lot about who I am, in love, in life, with everything, I’m hot or cold – never warm.”

Like the stars, Samy believes all things can be imbued with meaning and express identity. “When we look at an object, we can learn about not just the person who owned it but why it was chosen or made,” she explains. “It connects all civilisations and all points of time; it makes us feel connected.”

For Pandora and Samy, jewellery and tattoos are no exception. In fact, they might just be the most personal and profound expressions of who we are. “Individually, they can symbolise our personal beliefs, be touchstones of experiences, and cement our value systems. Whether permanent like tattoos or objects that become artifacts of past versions of ourselves, they root us in the human experience.”

The upcoming event will be a place where these expressions intersect. While browsing the Pandora Talisman collection, you may find a zodiac medallion capturing your best quality, or stumble upon a charm bearing an ancient inscription that speaks to the soul. Each piece is designed to honour the individuality of its wearer, and each leaves room to be reinterpreted as one’s sense of self evolves. 

There’s power in giving – or finding – meaning in objects like these. “Allowing ourselves to assign value to something reinforces the life force within all of us,” Samy says. “Giving external life to internal trains of thought is one of the most beautiful things we have as individuals.” 

Beyond the beauty of this unseen power is the beauty we can see. Both the Pandora Talisman collection and Samy’s exclusive tattoo designs draw upon ancient references and contemporary design language, taking into account the rich history of the zodiac and the sentiments of the modern wearer. Weaving these two eras together through two different forms of artistry felt natural, Samy tells me, because everything was connected by the most universal experience: being human.

“I am neither an island nor a vacuum. I’m just one voice in the symphony of voices that swell and ebb like a heartbeat connecting the past with the present.”

Whether you leave with a new tattoo or a new piece from Pandora, one truth is certain. Each person will walk away with, as Samy puts it, “a new footnote in their story and some connection – to themselves, to us, and to the world around them.” 

To reserve your spot at the Pandora Talisman x Samy Baby Zodiac Tattoo Studio, head here.