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Kate Moss

Model

The British model is world-renowned for the gritty, ‘heroin chic’ aesthetic of the 1990s and continues to have enduring global appeal.

Biography

In the early 1990s, British model Kate Moss debuted with a series of high profile and highly controversial advertising campaigns and quickly became the defining figure for a decade. She fronted a grungy, streetwear inspired aesthetic dubbed "heroin chic" and prompted the return of the waif look following an era of the "supermodel".  

Scouted by Sarah Doukas of Storm Model Management at JFK International Airport in 1988, Moss, then 14, was immediately signed to the acclaimed talent agency and was shot by legendary British photographer Corinne Day for The Face in 1990; the editorial launched her career. At 18, Moss became the face of Calvin Klein , starring in the infamous Obsession perfume advertisements and the black and white underwear campaigns alongside actor and musician Mark Wahlberg.

The model landed her first British Vogue cover in 1993. The May 2019 issue marked Moss' 40th cover for the publication. Moss’s prolific career continued on an upward trajectory following her early ‘90s success until 2005, when a drug scandal saw her dropped as the face of brands such as Burberry, Chanel and H&M. Moss retained several working relationships with brands such as Dior and in 2006, following a year-long sabbatical, she returned to the fashion scene entering arguably her most successful career period to date. She won the ‘Model of the Year’ award at British Fashion Awards in November 2006. She is still a leading fashion model nearly thirty years since the start of her career.

The much-watched style maven has overseen a career that has encompassed design, business and musical projects alongside modelling. She designed a capsule collection for Topshop and has launched a series of namesake cosmetics and fragrances. Famed as much for her personal life as her career, Moss has also become a cultural icon to many, serving as a muse to artists such as Mark Quinn, Lucien Freud and Chuck Close. She regularly sparks trends based on her sartorial choices and has also appeared in several music videos for the likes of Johnny Cash, The White Stripes and Primal Scream.

In April 2016, Moss took the industry by surprise when she left Storm Models after 27 years. In September, it was announced that Moss would launch her own talent management agency: Kate Moss Agency. The agency works with a handful of as-yet unnamed talents and represent them as models. Moss' team includes Lucy Baxter, her longtime booking agent, who also left Storm earlier that year. The Kate Moss Agency represents and launched the career of Moss' daughter, Lila Grace Moss Hack. 

The supermodel-turned-businesswoman has also expanded the Kate Moss lifestyle brand through collaborations and projects — a natural extension of her previous work for the likes of Topshop, Longchamp and Equipment, all of whom have banked on her brand power to assist the launch of new products bearing her name. Today, Moss also works behind the camera, styling shoots and editorials for publications such as British Vogue

Vital Statistics

Born
16 January 1974
Nationality

United Kingdom

Location
United Kingdom
Member since
2013

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What is The BoF 500?

The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.