If you live in Richmond, Virginia, you don’t fuck with Hellman’s—not publicly, at least. Nor do you deign to eat Heinz, Kraft, whatever the hell Sir Kensington’s is, or, god forbid, Miracle Whip. If you’re having mayo, you’re having Duke’s. To even consider doing otherwise borders on sacrilege.
Folks from Richmond have been riding hard for Duke’s for decades, partially because the company is headquartered there, and partially just because Duke’s rips. Though the mayo was created in South Carolina (where it’s still made and bottled today), it was acquired by the Richmond-based C.F. Sauer Company in 1929. It’s had a cult following in Richmond ever since—a following whose most devoted members decided, earlier this month, to consecrate their love for Duke’s permanently, in blood and ink.
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On May 13, about 70 people got Duke’s tattoos at Richmond’s Yellow Bird Tattoo. Duke’s partnered with the shop to give away mayo-themed flash for free, and Yellow Bird’s artists—including Nate Streeter, Joseph Fessman, and Devonte Tejeda—drew up 47 different designs for folks to choose from. They ranged from goofy (a gravestone marked “HELLMAN’S”) to deeply tight (mayo + snake, mayo + dagger, etc.), and they all came out great.
VICE sent photographer Dylan Lewis to Yellow Bird to capture the scene, and to document a few of the best tattoos he came across. You can check out a collection of his favorite photos from the flash day below.
Long live Duke’s. Death before Hellman’s.
Dylan Lewis is a photographer based in Richmond, Virginia, and Athens, Georgia. Follow him on Instagram.
Drew Schwartz is a senior staff writer at VICE. Follow him on Twitter.
