Les Trompe-L'Oeil De Chanel

Once upon a Paris Fashion Week story the Chanel barn was full of models, VIPs and the forthcoming A/W 2010 collection. Its since been re-purposed and installed on the ground floor of Selfridges, Oxford Street London. Still in harmony with the ethereal catwalk show, the barn has been converted into the temporary home of Chanels temporary skin art studio. I was invited to the launch last week, I had a nose around and tried out Les Trompe-L'oeil de Chanel's faux tattoo.

I've always really wanted to have a tattoo thankfully the big decision wasn't pain or no pain, these fauxtattoo's look really authentic, 55 black and shades of grey pieces to pick from so Irolled up my sleeve and hoped of reasonable tattie taster experience.I had the chain interlaced with leather and the Chanel charm emblem applied to my wrist. After the first shine settles, the transfer dulls down to a matt finish into a realistic decorative tattoo effect which looks more and more authentic as it fads.

I was feeling a bit juvenile, so to test just how real the effect was, I sent picture messages saying 'look what I got?! I exaggerate not when I say it worked, fantastically well, almost everyone was fooled. So to buy or not to buy?? the tattoo's came in a pack 4 sheets, 55 designs for £49, however, once the weather warms and the exfoliation regime is under way this is a nice treat to oneself. Yes, but isn't it Mothers day soon, would she have a go I wonder? Trying to imagine blossom and a swallow on my mum maybe?

Tori Amos / What? Magazine

From what I know Tori Amos she's a private person but our Nora spent some time with her on a shoot Victor de Mello for the cover of WHAT magazine and we have the scoop on the law of attraction with Tori Amos. In Nora's own illustrious words..

"Hi its Nora Nonah, make up artist to the fabulous.. with hair and make-up done Tori looks at Victor and says “are we ready? lets go” Fully aware that he's addressing a music legend, in a boyish voice Victor asks her “what kind of music do you like?”.. “ Rolling Stones” she says.

She tucks her head into her chest, slowly lifts her arms in the air like an eagle before raising her fiery mane of red hair a even more slowly reveals dark dirty smoky eyes and looks straight at the camera.

It seems that Victor and Tori had yet to be introduced, here's an introduction the Mello way.. "please allow me to introduce myself he says, I am a man of wealth and taste. I’ve been around for a long long year stolen many man’s soul and faith. Pleased you meet you I hope you guessed my name?" That’s what I love about Victor! he can so read a situation. He was letting Tori introduce herself to him through music. The Devil by the rolling stones could not have been a more appropriate start to the shoot with the daughter of a preacher.

Quick change of looks styled by Karen Binns who’s been working with Tori since she was in her 20s and she’s back in front of the camera. With the song Miss You now playing Tori, wearing a black tasselled top and tight white jeans moves to the music which wraps itself around her and we're all tuned into Tori's sensuality that suddenly enveloped the room. In that moment she owned that song and we where the lucky ones able to see this beautiful side of Tori up close and personal.

I thank Karen Binns Publisher & Editor of What? Magazine for making it happen.

Victor De Mello for understanding women

Kavita Kaul for always being there for me

Barry for loving Tori and great hair

Tori Amos for sharing yourself with us, showing us another side of her.

images courtesy What? Magazine