Maddie Akers
Maddie’s appreciation for body modification began when she was just a kid, when her older sister introduced her to punk rock. She remembers seeing photos of all of her favorite bands from the 70s and 80s, and was transfixed by pictures of her idols adorned with rings, chains, and safety pins through their skin. As a teen, Maddie discovered BMEzine.com, and it was this discovery that nurtured an already growing love of body modification and taught her about its history. Being exposed to all of these new ideas further fueled her own desire to modify herself.
Maddie’s first significant piercing she had done was her labret, at 15 years old. She fondly remembers the experience as a significant right of passage. It gave her a sense of control over her body, and showed her what she was capable of. After graduating from Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School in 2008, Maddie moved to Philadelphia for a brief stint at Temple University and at the Community College of Philadelphia. It was at this point that she discovered Infinite Body Piercing. Maddie started as a frequent customer of Infinite, adding more to her collection of piercings, jewelry, and knowledge about the industry. After a short time it became apparent to her that she had found a community she could call her own.
In addition to body modification, Maddie also has a passion for record collecting, video games, and playing bass guitar. Come by the shop and talk to her about Frank Zappa and alien conspiracy theories.
Pronouns: She/Her
Ariana Flores
Ari’s interest in body modification originated from a class called The Body Adorned: A Look at the Personal, Societal, and Historical Context of Decorating our Bodies. In that class, she explored some of the earliest examples of body art, learned about the varying methods of body adornment (painting, piercings, tattoos, jewelry, clothing, etc.), and discussed how body adornment is used to express ourselves and convey messages. When she’s not working in the counter or the office, she’s listening to music, watching anime, or learning how to make her own clothes.
Pronouns: She/Her
Augustin Trippiedi
Having only lived in Philadelphia since 2022, Augustin has done his best to make the most of his time here. Infinite happened to be one of the first places he visited in the city and he has been stretching his septum here ever since. Despite the pleas of friends and family, he started getting pierced at the age of 19 at a local studio and fell in love with the art; he hasn’t looked back since. Being able to change one’s body, permanent or impermanent, will always be important to him.
When not in the studio, Augustin can often be found waiting for an album release, seeing movies, burning holes in his shoes and loitering in the smoking section of an establishment.
"Water’s for fish."
-Big Ang
Pronouns: He/Him