Alysa Liu is continuing her high-fashion streak, this time making her lower-back tattoo the center of attention at the 2026 ESPY Awards in New York City.
On July 15, Liu attended the famed sports awards to receive the trophy for Best Breakthrough Athlete, and she made sure to dazzle on the red carpet before going inside the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Posing for photographers ahead of the event, Liu stunned in an open-back halter-style gown by Louis Vuitton that almost fully showed off her lower back tattoo for the first time.
Lower back tattoos, sometimes referred to as tramp stamps, were a staple in the ‘00s, and Gen Z, like Liu, are making sure the once-shamed design makes it back to the forefront in this era with fresh eyes.
Liu’s tattoo making its first red carpet appearance is major, seeing as fans have known of its existence for a while—not to mention it is her one and only ink. The 20-year-old athlete previously revealed to Teen Vogue that she got it at 18, and it is super personal for her, as it was her own friend who designed it.
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During the interview, Liu described the ink as a symmetrical design in a cybersigilism-style, also a super popular trend among Gen Z, and now that we’ve gotten a peek, we can definitely see it. Liu also revealed it was a matching tattoo with her best friend and includes motifs relevant to both of their tastes, such as bat wings, a rose, and infinity signs to represent both of their birthdays in August.
Liu is clearly a fan of body modifications; she’s known for her trademark smiley piercing and has also been playing around with faux face jewelry as of late, so who knows, her next ink might be just around the corner.
Aside from the ink, Liu also made sure to accessorize for the ESPYs, wearing a dual-sided rosary-inspired necklace that sat like a choker at the front, perfectly framed by the plunging cowl neckline of her dress, and hung just above her tattoo from the back. To make sure to get the full effect, the star wore her signature halo hair in a casual yet super-polished updo, complete with face-framing curtain bangs and side tendrils. If looks could get you gold medals, this one would certainly land Alysa Liu on the podium once again!
