Menu
ENG
San Rafael
Our flagship studio is located on 4th Street in downtown San Rafael, the historic main thoroughfare of the city.
Here, we offer specialized appointments for body piercing and permanent jewelry, along with walk-in services for piercings and jewelry changes.
This studio features one of the largest selections of body jewelry in Northern California, with something for every style: from simple, everyday pieces to vintage jewelry, statement pieces, and jewelry for stretched piercings.
Mill Valley
Our Mill Valley studio is tucked inside Fred’s on Throckmorton Avenue, right in the heart of downtown Mill Valley. Primarily by appointment, we also welcome walk-ins whenever time allows. Here, you’ll find a carefully curated collection of gold jewelry in a relaxed and intimate setting that feels right at home in Mill Valley. Whether you’re looking for a new piercing, a special piece of jewelry, or simply taking a look around, we’d love to welcome you into the studio.
About us
Since opening our doors in 1993, Nomad Body Piercing has been committed to providing exceptional body piercing in a safe and welcoming environment. We were among the pioneering studios in the body piercing industry and have grown into a trusted destination for clients throughout the Bay Area. We continue to honor the craftsmanship, education, and high standards that have defined our work from the beginning.
We believe every piercing is personal. Whether you’re getting your very first piercing, curating a new look, or adding a unique piece of jewelry to your collection, our goal is to make your experience comfortable, informative, and enjoyable from start to finish. We take the time to answer questions, help you choose the right jewelry, and provide the guidance you need throughout the healing process.
Your safety is at the heart of everything we do. Our studios follow rigorous sanitary practices and use steam sterilization with autoclaves. We offer a carefully curated selection of body jewelry crafted from implant-grade titanium, solid gold, platinum, and glass. Every piece is chosen with quality, comfort, and long-term wear in mind.
With two studio locations, Nomad is proud to serve Marin County and the greater Bay Area with the same dedication that has defined our work for more than three decades. Whether you’re visiting us for a simple ear piercing or a carefully planned jewelry project, we’re here to help you find something that feels like you.
our History
Nomad’s story begins in 1993, when Blake Perlingieri opened the original Nomad Body Piercing on Hayes and Ashbury in San Francisco. At the time, Nomad was one of the first studios in America (and Australia) to specialize in freehand body piercing and large-gauge techniques that were rarely, if ever, offered in a professional piercing studio.
Blake’s interest in body piercing was shaped by his childhood travels with his grandmother, a National Geographic photographer. Through those travels, he was exposed to piercing traditions and practices from cultures and tribes around the world. He brought that inspiration, along with his freehand and large-gauge techniques, to one of San Francisco’s earliest piercing studios, Body Manipulations, before opening Nomad.
In 1994, Blake helped co-found the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). The following year, he opened a Nomad location in Melbourne, Australia, becoming one of the first professional piercing studios in the country. From 1996 to 1998, Blake worked alongside Maria Tash at her first studio, Venus Modern Body Art, in Manhattan’s East Village.
Over the years, the original San Francisco studio grew into a larger community of piercers and practitioners and moved through several locations. Among the early owners and practitioners were Kristian White, Eric “NORM” Rosenbaum, and Nick Aguilar. Since 2009, Nomad has been owned by Shon Dolcini.
2010 marked an important moment for the San Francisco piercing industry. The city’s Department of Public Health began requiring licenses for body-piercing practitioners. As Nomad prepared to reopen, the studio worked closely with the Health Department and the APP to help establish standards that would support a safe and professional future for the industry.
Nomad also made its facilities available to assist with training for the Health Department’s newly established program. It was an exciting step forward; Nomad could continue offering a state-of-the-art, fully licensed piercing environment while contributing to the development of professional piercing standards in San Francisco.
In 2015, Nomad crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, leaving its San Francisco location in Hayes Valley and moving to San Rafael in Marin County, where the studio remains today.
Ten years later, in 2025, Nomad expanded once again, opening a second Marin County location in downtown Mill Valley.
The story of Nomad has always been one of growth, education, and evolution. From its early days in San Francisco to its expansion across the Bay and into Marin County, the studio continues to carry forward the techniques, knowledge, and spirit that shaped it from the beginning.
For a more in-depth history of Blake Perlingieri and the original Nomad, see the Nomad Museum in Oregon.
