Thursday, 24 April 2008

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Kate Moss

Despite her turbulent private life, supermodel Kate Moss has endured as a style icon for almost two decades

Name Kate Moss

Birth name Katherine Ann Moss

Date of birth 16 January 1974

Star sign Capricorn

Birthplace Addiscombe, Surrey, UK

Height 5ft 7in

Eye colour Hazel

Marriages None

Children Lila Grace Moss, born 29 September 2002 (daughter of Jefferson Hack)

Biography

One of fashion’s most iconic faces, Kate Moss is notorious for her party lifestyle and is coveted for her wardrobe.

Croydon girl Kate was spotted at the age of 14 by model scout Sarah Doukas at JFK Airport after a holiday in the Bahamas. Her career began when she did a photoshoot a year later, in 1988, for British magazine The Face. She quickly became the ‘anti-supermodel’ of the 1990s, in contrast to the curvier figures of Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer.

Her waif look, seen both on the catwalk and in Calvin Klein underwear ads, was criticised for glamorising the ‘heroin chic’ look, but her appeal has been enduring – campaigns and spreads for almost every major designer and magazine going have made her the second highest-earning model in the world, behind Gisele Bündchen.

Kate’s rarely gives interviews, but this hasn’t stopped the tabloids making various allegations about her personal life – from claims that she suffers from anorexia to rumours that she has indulged in lesbian affairs.

But the biggest scandal of her career came in September 2005, when the Daily Mirror ran a front-page photo that appeared to show Kate snorting several lines of cocaine. She lost several major modelling contracts as a result, but a grovelling public apology, as well as agreeing to design an exclusive range for Topshop, has revived her fortunes.

Credited for setting trends from Ugg boots to skinny jeans, Kate’s penchant for bad boys has added to her rock’n’roll persona. She has had well-publicised relationships with Johnny Depp, Jefferson Hack – the father of her daughter Lila Grace – and, notably, self-confessed heroin addict Pete Doherty.

Currently dating The Kills guitarist Jamie Hince, Kate lends her support to various charities and was estimated to be worth £45 million in the 2007 Sunday Times Rich List.

Quotes
‘When I was bang on it, that wasn’t a nice time. Drugs enhanced all the misery and I got into this spiral. I still drink, but I don’t do drugs.’ (Q Magazine, 2003)

‘They portray me as all these crazy things and I’m so not like that. I don’t have entourages, I’m as normal as you can get in this lifestyle.’ (Sunday Times Style Magazine, April 2007)

(On daughter Lila)
‘She comes in at bedtime and says, “Mummy, do you think this is a good look?” and then she has a fashion crisis… Now we lay the clothes out before she goes to bed, but then she goes, “Mum, I need options”. She’s a mini-me.’ (Vogue, 12 March 2007)

‘Yesterday, in the pub, we were going through a Sunday magazine and playing a game of, “Ooh, that’s me! And that’s me again!” Because Pete (Doherty) will go, “Is that you?” about any model in a magazine. And I’m like, “No, she’s Chinese.” “Is that you?” “No. She’s 12.” It’s quite funny.’ (Sunday Times Style Magazine, April 2007)

(On her relationship with Johnny Depp)
‘They (the press) don’t really know anything, they just presume.’ (The Big Breakfast, 1995)