Patty Tiu, a DJ, nightlife icon, and all-around energy-giver, is the kind of person whose presence fills a room. She jokes around lightly and vibes easily with every person she encounters. Her tattoos mirror her personality: colorful, bold, and unapologetically fun.
Jerick Sanchez
One of her favorites reads Carpe Noctem, Latin for “Seize the night.” A fitting phrase for someone who lives and thrives in the nightlife industry. “[Getting a tattoo] is a way of self-expression and also paying homage or paying tribute to the things that you’re passionate about… things that you love,” she says.
Her tattoos commemorate people, memories, and moments, some she still holds close, some she’s long outgrown. “People that I want to be reminded of who’s not here anymore. Even with things or people that I regret putting on my body, they’re still there,” she shares.
For Tiu, permanence is part of the beauty that comes with getting a tattoo. “That’s why people who have tattoos have strong conviction of who they are as a person because they’re willing to put something permanent on their bodies,” she says.
Art direction by Nicole Almero. Beauty direction by Leira Aquino. Makeup by Booya. Hair by Patty Inojales. Styling by Geno Espidol and Jermainne Lagura of Qurator. Nails by Extraordinail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Patty Tiu is a Filipino DJ and nightlife figure known for her high-energy presence across the local entertainment and events industry. She is also recognized for her extensive tattoo collection, which she describes as a form of self-expression and personal tribute to people and experiences that have shaped her life.
Tiu’s tattoos commemorate people she has lost, memories she holds closely, and passions central to her identity — including one that reads Carpe Noctem, Latin for “seize the night.” She also acknowledges tattoos she has outgrown, viewing even those as part of her personal history rather than regrets to erase.
Tiu views permanence as a defining quality of tattoo culture. She believes that people who choose tattoos demonstrate a strong sense of personal conviction — a willingness to commit something lasting to their body as a reflection of who they are at a given point in their lives.
Carpe Noctem is Latin for “seize the night” — a phrase Tiu considers particularly fitting given her career in the nightlife industry. It is among her favorite pieces and reflects her philosophy of living fully within the world she has built professionally and personally.
For Tiu, tattoos are a way of paying tribute to the people, moments, and passions that define her — a permanent, visible record of her convictions. She sees the act of tattooing as inherently personal, with each piece functioning as both a memorial and a statement of identity.
