KATE MOSS

Fashion Profile: Kate Moss

Kate Moss, (deemed the "anti-supermodel" of the 90s) was discovered at a young age, and has grown to become one of the most iconic Brits of the fashion industry.

Born: 16th January 1974

Famous for: Being a fresh-faced model, turned temporary drug addict, turned designer.

Style Characteristics: Heroin chic & festival fashion (Kate often embraces the "model off-duty" look and is loved for her casual style of dress).

Early Life

Kate was born in Croydon, to a humble family (her mother was a barmaid, and her father, a travel agent). She was scouted in 1988 (at the age of just 14 years old) and her modelling career quickly catapulted her to the forefront of the fashion industry.

The Supermodel

Although Kate Moss is not often considered a supermodel; as in contrast to classic supermodels (such as Cindy Crawford and Elle McPherson), Kate embraced the waif-ish look of the 90s; she has still become one of the most famous models (of all time...?).

 

Moss changed the polished look of modelling and began to create controversy - she played a large role in the rise in size zero fashion as her slender figure was embraced throughout the industry.

She almost created a brand for herself (before her days of fashion design) where she gained the public's attention for her tempestuous romances, drug abuse and apparent eating disorders.

Heroin Chic

Kate "Mossy" Moss' modelling career truly began in the mid 90s after she became the face of Calvin Klein. She developed the "heroin chic" look which was characterised by pale skin, dark circles below the eyes and a bony bod. 

The popularity of heroin chic was due to the drugs increase in popularity within popular culture (appearing in many defining films such as Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting) and its overall use in society (it's price had decreased by the 90s due to the AIDs epidemic of the 80s).

 

... And so, fashion was influenced greatly by the decade's everchanging lifestyle.

The aesthetic soon became unpopular, however, as debates arose about the welfare of models who were demonstrating the trend by becoming "size-zero"; (many also felt that models and films were glamorising heroin).

Kate: The Designer

Modelling through to the noughties, Kate Moss decided to try her hand at designing clothes; as by then, she had become a fashion icon herself.

In May 2007, Moss released a collection of clothing designs for the British chain, Topshop. This chain was hyped with a "countdown to launch" leaving the fashion loving public eagerly awaiting the clothing range. She had caused a media frenzy as this was the first iconic model creating her own brand.

Reportedly, Topshop had paid Kate Moss £3 million for her collection of fifty designs (including skinny jeans, leather jackets and minidresses).

Since then, Kate Moss has designed a further 13 collections for Topshop - which have been sold worldwide (due to popular demand). She has also branched out to design for brands such as Longchamp and cosmetics company, Rimmel. Her design career has been greatly supported by designers and past clients such as Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, who saw her as muses.

Love Life

In 1994, Johnny Depp (then, a divorced, but still young, actor) and Moss (a fresh faced model) started their four year long relationship. The couple were famed for their multiple break ups, one of which happened in 1998, their last. Depp has recently spoken (of Kate) that they wanted different things for their lives:

"I don't think I was very good for her... She went on to bigger and better things, and I went on and fell in love and had kiddies".

Kate was also famed for her "festival fashion" as her relationship with Pete Doherty merged the couple's careers of fashion and music. The pair attended Glastonbury and The Isle of Wight Festival during their relationship, where Kate Moss made muddy wellies and dishevelled hair look good (for once).

Doherty, influenced Moss in other ways than music, he was an avid drug user and throughout the relationship is became apparent that Kate had developed a cocaine addiction (causing her career to suffer, as she was dropped from several campaigns as a result of her "bad image"). Doherty and Moss broke up (after a short engagement) in 2007.

After other relationships, Kate Moss finally settled down and married Jamie Hince earlier this year. The marriage took place in the Cotswolds and the bride wore a cream, bias-cut dress (with sheer skirt, gold leaf embroidery and rhinestones) designed by her friend and fashion designer John Galliano - in true supermodel style.

Kate Moss starring in the video of "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" by The White Stripes

A young Kate Moss, at a casting for L'Oreal