Kate Moss’ Cocaine Use

.

Originally from the unglamorous south London suburb of Croydon, teenager Moss was discovered in 1988 at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport. Two years later, topless pictures of the 14-year-old were splashed across billboards amid condemnation of Moss’ waifish appearance, blank stare and emaciated figure. It was the media that fueled Moss’ rise with constant shots of the wide-eyed, 5-foot-6 beauty – and the paparazzi were just as quick to help her fall.

The September 2005 pictures of Moss allegedly snorting cocaine in a London studio with lover Pete Doherty have turned the 31-year-old fashion icon into a pariah, with fashion companies canceling her contracts. First dropping came from the Swedish fashion retailer H&M, followed by Chanel and Burberry. The images were captured during a Daily Mirror undercover investigation which revealed that Moss, who repeatedly denied taking Class As substances such as cocaine, was a seasoned user. She prepared up to 20 lines of coke on the back of a plastic CD cover in just 40 minutes. Moss issued an apology, but stopped short of admitting drug use. Her dramatic fall has forced a re-think on fashion’s role models, and has raised questions about how an industry notorious for its drug-fueled party life can cultivate Moss’ bad-girl image, then turn on her once that image matches reality.

However, she rebounded quickly: Moss continued to appear in major ad campaigns for Dior, and was on the cover of the November 2005 W and also appeared inside in a multi-page fashion shoot. She was also defended by high-profile friends and supporters, including designer Alexander McQueen. who wore a t-shirt saying “We love you Kate” during his walk-out after a fashion show.

Liked it? Take a second to support Iconic Photos on Patreon!