Kate Moss: A Fashion Icon
- By:Tania Machowska
At 14 years old, Moss was spotted while waiting for a flight at JFK airport in New York. The Croydon schoolgirl who disliked her studies and once admitted that she thought she “might've been a bank manager” would become one of the world’s most famous faces and it’s now almost impossible to imagine the British fashion industry without her.
Her Rise and Rise
At just 15, she was cast in John Galliano’s show as Lolita, which would be her debut catwalk appearance. She followed this by becoming the face of Calvin Klein, appearing nude for Obsession and fronting an underwear campaign with “Marky” Mark Wahlberg. Soon after, she made her debut appearance in British Vogue and her first cover followed two months later.
Heroin Chic
When Kate Moss appeared, supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer were known for their statuesque and curvaceous figures. However, Moss’s skinny frame was completely different, leading her to be labelled as an ‘anti-supermodel’ and launching a new look widely regarded as ‘heroin chic’. This look was extremely controversial, as many people believed it encouraged drug use and eating disorders. However, this scandal only succeeded in boosting Moss’s career.
A Glittering Career
Over her long career, Moss has graced most of the major catwalks for designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Versace, Chanel, Gucci, Robert Cavalli, Stella McCartney, Missoni and John Galliano. In recent years, she has chosen to grace the catwalk less and prefers to concentrate on lucrative advertising campaigns and magazine shoots. She is the face of Rimmel cosmetics and has previously fronted Calvin Klein’s campaigns, Burberry, Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle fragrance and many more. She has also appeared on over 300 magazine covers, including W, Vogue, The Face and Vanity Fair.
Unlucky in Love
Moss’s colourful romantic life is as well documented as her modelling career. She has dated Billy Zane, Leonardo DiCaprio, Evan Dando, Jake Chapman, Jesse Wood and most famously, Johnny Depp and Dazed and Confused editor, Jefferson Hack. Moss had a child, Lila Grace by Hack in 2002, before the couple split two years later. Since then, Moss has entertained a controversial on-off relationship with Pete Doherty, a British musician whose life is plagued by drug problems.
Cocaine Scandal
Doherty was partly responsible for a scandal that rocked Moss’s career in 2005. A British newspaper printed photographs of her, which appeared to show her snorting cocaine at a recording session for Doherty’s band, Babyshambles. The scandal led to a criminal investigation but charges were quickly dismissed due to a lack of evidence. However, it also led to a great deal of controversy, costing Kate a number of lucrative contracts with the likes of H&M and Chanel. Luckily, the controversy ultimately revived her career and she now earns more than she did before the scandal. She staged a spectacular comeback, snagging 18 major contracts and being crowned Model of the Year at the November 2006 British Fashion Awards.About the author:
Tania Machowska is a former model with experience of catwalk and catalogue modelling. For the past four years she's been contributing to websites such as http://www.chemodels.com, Brussels Model Agency.