A Guide To 25 Cara Delevingne Tattoos and What They Mean

In the realm of fashion icons, few have left as indelible a mark on the industry as the enigmatic Cara Delevingne. Not only celebrated for her captivating runway presence and versatile acting and singing career, Delevingne is renowned for her daring and expressive approach to body art. The world has watched with fascination as Delevingne’s canvas has evolved, adorned with an array of captivating tattoos that tell a multifaceted story of her life, beliefs, and passions.

Cara Delevingne tattoos have become synonymous with her distinctive style, challenging conventional beauty norms and transforming her body into an ever-evolving masterpiece. Each tattoo etched into her skin serves as a unique chapter, weaving together to create a narrative that reflects her journey from a model extraordinaire to a Hollywood sensation.

From a delicate script that carries profound messages to intricate symbols that hold deep personal significance, Delevingne’s inked choices offer a glimpse into her inner world. With every addition, whether it’s a spontaneous act or a meticulously planned design, she invites us to witness her self-expression and vulnerability.

This article delves into the captivating world of Cara Delevingne’s tattoos, unraveling the stories behind each emblematic piece. We’ll explore the meanings, inspirations, and skilled artists who have contributed to the kaleidoscope of artistry that adorns her skin. Join us in this visual and narrative journey through the ink-stained chapters of one of the fashion and entertainment world’s most intriguing personalities.

20 Cara Delevingne Tattoos: Exploring The Stories Behind Her Tattoo Art

1. Lion Face Tattoo

The first tattoo Cara Delevingne ever got was of a lion’s face back in 2013. Taking to Instagram to show off her new ink, the star of Suicide Squad posted a picture of her right index finger featuring a lion tattooed by celebrity tattooist Keith Scott “Bang Bang” McCurdy. Accompanying the image was the caption; “My first tattoo!! Lions rule! Thank you so much @bangbangnyc @badgalriri”

Delevingne visited tattoo artist Bang Bang after he was recommended by her good friend Rihanna, who has been inked by the tattooist on several occasions. She’s not the only one, with Bang Bang having inked the likes of Justin Bieber, Rita Ora, Chris Brown, Nicole Scherzinger, and Selena Gomez.

As reported by Pop Star Stats, Delevingne explained the reason she got the tattoo. “I’m a Leo. It’s the first tattoo I got. I grew up being fearless in everything. I just used to climb anything.” But, Cara says, “I lost that [sense of fearlessness] when I started modeling. When you work a lot and don’t really know what you want, you just do it because the work is there. I lost that inner fire, so I got the lion to bring that back in my mind.”

2. “CJD” Tattoo

Like so many people, Delevingne caught the tattoo bug after getting her first piece of ink. She quickly followed up the lion tattoo by getting her initials, “CJD,” tattooed on the side of her right hand. It stands for Cara Jocelyn Delevingne, which is her full name. This was another tattoo designed and inked by Bang Bang

3. “Made In England” Tattoo

Delevingne’s third tattoo was once again inked by Bang Bang and is a reference to her country of birth, England. On the bottom of her left foot, she got the words “Made In England” tattooed.

As reported by Body Art Guru, Delevingne had this to say about the tattoo, “You’re looked through, you’re not looked at, you are treated as a kind of mannequin. I got a tattoo saying ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’ on my foot to represent that I felt like a doll for so long. Because you are just a kind of puppet, you know, entertainment. You kind of feel that you need to have no soul really, to do that job, a little bit.”

4. “XII” Tattoo

Delevingne has the Roman numeral XII (12) inked on the right side of her torso. The model was born on August 12, 1992, with the number representing her birthday. She also considers it her lucky number. The tattoo was inked by Daniel Tucci while Delevingne was visiting Italy.

5. “Silence” Tattoo

Another of her tattoos inked by Bang Bang in 2013, this one is the word “Silence” tattooed on her right wrist. Delevingne uploaded an image of the tattoo to Instagram with the caption, “Silence speaks when words can’t @bangbangnyc”

6. “Pandora” Tattoo

On her upper left arm is the word “Pandora.” This is a tribute to her mother, whose name, you guessed it, is Pandora.

7. Sak Yant Tattoo

Sak Yant tattoos are a form of tattoo that originated in Southeast Asia. They are different from modern ink in that they are applied with a bamboo needle. These intricate tattoos have many different meanings but are generally designed as symbols that offer protection from evil deities and can enhance your luck.

Delevingne has a Sak Yant tattoo on her upper back just below her neck although there is no information regarding its meaning. She got a recent addition to the tattoo, getting a set of eyes inked on the nape of her neck just above the Sak Yant tattoo.

8. “Bacon…” Tattoo

Feet tattoos are known to be painful, but that hasn’t stopped Delevingne from getting them. Along with “Made In England” on the bottom of her right foot, the model has “Bacon…” inked on the bottom of her left foot.

“The tattoo was inspired by my love for bacon, obviously,” she told The Cut. “I think of bacon every five seconds. It’s the meatiness. I love the salt. Bacon is love to me. Bacon will always love me back. It’s unconditional.”

9. Diamond Tattoo

While often covered by her hair, when she wears it up you can see the diamond tattoo Delevingne has inside her right ear. According to Near Tattoos, a diamond tatt “symbolizes strength, beauty, purity, and unbreakable character.”

You will also notice several small stars Delevingne has inked around her ear. These form the constellation known as the Southern Cross.

10. Heart Tattoo

Delevingne got a heart inked in red on the pinky finger of her left hand. Our Mindful Life explains that heart tattoos “represent love, passion, affection.”

11. “DD” Tattoo

Cara Delevingne and good friend Jordan Dunn both got the letters “DD” tattooed on their waists. Inked by Bang Bang when the two were together in New York, the letters obviously stand for Delevingne and Dunn.

12. Wasp Tattoo

Joining her lion tattoo on her right hand is a wasp tattoo Delevingne got on her index finger.

13. Coat of Arms Tattoo

Delevingne has not spoken about this tattoo, which is of a coat of arms with the letter “D” inked inside it. It could be the coat of arms of her family name or just a design she liked. Found on her left ribcage, the tattoo was inked by famed tattoo artist Dr. Woo.

Just above the coat of arms are five white dots which are said to represent members of her immediate family.

14. “Breath Deep” Tattoo

In 2014 Delevingne caught up with Bang Bang once again for another tattoo. This time she got the words “Breath Deep” inked on her right arm. This is another tattoo Delevingne hasn’t spoken about, although it does stand out due to the fact that it was tattooed using white ink and not black like most tattoos on her body.

15. “Don’t Worry Be Happy” Tattoo

“Don’t Worry Be Happy” was a song by Bobby McFerrin released in 1988 that became the first acapella song to top the Billboard Hot 100. The song is about enjoying life and not worrying about things, something that must have resonated with Delevingne as she got the title of the song (which is also the chorus) inked below her breasts.

Under her right breast is “don’t worry” and under her left breast is “be happy.” Both are written in cursive and are an interesting addition to Delevingne’s collection of tattoos.

16. White Dove Tattoo

This is another small tattoo found on the inside of Delevingne’s left index finger. Inked in white, the design is of a dove which “is symbolic of peace and innocence” according to Tattoos With Meaning.

17. “AC” Tattoo

They say you should never get your partner’s name tattooed, so Delevingne went for the initials. “AC” stands for Annie Clark, the real name of musician St. Vincent, who Delevingne dated. The two were an item between June 2015 and September 2016 before going their separate ways.

Thankfully the tattoo is small and in a hard-to-see place on the inside of her left pinky finger.

18. Snake Skeleton Tattoo

Tattooist Dr. Woo inked a snake skeleton that slithers along Delevingne’s left hand. She got the ink sometime in 2016 not long after her ex St. Vincent was spotted with Kristen Stewart.

Speaking to The Sun about the tattoo, she had this to say; “At the end of it it says feral because I think I am, and it’s about reinvention, shedding of old skin, new beginnings, new life.”

19. “A” Tattoo

Not content with getting ex-partner St. Vincent’s initials tattooed on her body, Delevingne also got a tribute to another former girlfriend. On her ribcage near her coat of arms tattoo, Delevingne got a red letter “A” inked. This stands for her girlfriend of two years Ashley Benson, with the two dating from June 2019 until April 2020.

20. Geometric Flower Tattoo

Only visible when her head is shaved, this tattoo of a geometric flower is on the back of Delevingne’s skull. It was designed by hairstylist Mara Roszak.

21. “Solemate” Tattoo

Kaia Gerber and Cara Delevingne got matching “Solemate” tattoos on the inside of their feet. Gerber is an American model and actress and a good friend of Delevingne.

22. Red Rose Tattoo

Speaking of matching tattoos, Delevingne and Paris Jackson also got similar ink, with both having a red rose inked on their arm. The two got the tattoos after the Oscars in 2021.

23. Smiley Face Tattoo

Delevingne’s love of foot tattoos continued when she got a smiley face tattooed on the bottom of her big toe. Unlike her other tattoos, this one was inked by an amateur, her Suicide Squad co-star Margot Robbie. The Australian is known to give her co-stars tattoos and decide to ink a smiley face on Delevingne. She talked about her work as a tattooist on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

“We did toe-mojis, we were calling them, where we’d tattoo the bottom of our toes with, like, little faces,” she said. “But, uh, the thing about tattooing the bottom of your toes is that it rubs off after a while, so we have to keep redoing them.”

24. Artwork Tattoo

In 2018, Bang Bang went to work on Delevingne again, this time coming up with something quite beautiful. He tattooed an image of a naked red-headed woman lying with a tiger in a jungle. The colored tattoo is based on artwork by Emil Lundgren and has pops of green, red, orange, black, and white.

25. Elephant Tattoo

This tattoo is one that means a lot to Delevingne. It is the image of an elephant on her right forearm. The reason it is so important is that it is a reminder of her grandmother who passed away.