Commitment to the cause, it’s not something you see often these days, not like this anyway. For his stepson, Tyrone Lebon‘s cover shoot for i-D, Mr Dave Baby had a giant tattoo of naked Lara Stone inked onto his side. Here, Senior Fashion Editor Elgar Johnson asks him what he was thinking at the time.
What do you think about while having a tattoo? That depends, but usually something like oh my God this really fucking hurts.
If you didn’t have Lara tattooed on you what other lady would you have chosen? I recently discovered a photograph of my nana topless, toute nu in fact. It was taken in the 1920’s when she was a naturist, she would make a nice subject for a tattoo, she had a few tattoos herself.
What’s the most painful place you have a tattoo? The one I’ve just had done of Lara, on my side, it took four and a half hours and it’s a pretty sensitive spot.
What’s next and where? I’ve got lots of plans, some I’ve been planning for years, I don’t really want to discuss them.
What does your partner think? She didn’t know who Lara was, she prefers my old school tattoos.
Where do you go to get your tattoos done? My first tattoo was done by Ben Gunn in Chingford in 1971, he’s not with us anymore… I’m a collector and have tattoos from many different tattooists from countries all over the world, though I’d like to go back to Brazil to get more work done, there’s some incredible artists there.
Photography Tyrone Lebon
Davebaby wears tattoo Lara Stone
