Legendary tattooist MXM (ake Maxime Büchi) puts down the needle to ink some designs for McQ menswear.

We love tattoos (and models do, too) but we’ll be the first to admit that we enjoy looking at them rather more than getting them. Low pain tolerance, okay? After all, there’s only one time you can be drunk and out of it while getting a tatt, and that’s when you’re 16 in a tattoo parlour on Zante.

Thankfully, McQ has come up with an alternative for the needle-phobic. MXM, the cult tattoo artist and editor of underground body art magazine Sang Bleu, has created two print designs exclusively for the label. Traditional maritime iconography like compasses and ships have all been reworked by MXM in his unique style, complete with crimson red lacquer overprinting.

The designs appear on a loose drop-shoulder T-shirt and a fitted white shirt with a cut-away button down collar, and will be available to buy as part of the McQ autumn/winter 2013 menswear collection. McQ have been so pleased with the results that two more designs have been commissioned for spring/summer 2014.