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Kate Moss turns 50: The rise of a British style queen in pictures
Style icon, one of Vogue’s most prolific cover stars, Queen of Cool – Kate Moss has been one of the world’s most ubiquitous supermodels ever since she was famously scouted at New York’s JKF Airport at the age of 14.
She was the woman responsible for the skinny jeans that dominated young women’s wardrobes in the noughties, for the queues outside London’s “Big Topshop” (RIP) thanks to her coveted collaboration with the high street chain, and for single-handedly catapulting bare legs and muddy wellies back into the upper echelons of festival fashion.
Now, as Kate Moss celebrates her 50th birthday on 16 January, what better way to mark the cultural impact of one of the most photographed women in the world than with a look-back at her life in pictures.
Moss became BFFs with fellow British star Naomi Campbell, turning the so-called ‘Big Five’ most bankable supermodels of the era into the ‘Big Six’. Here they are pictured at the London Fashion Awards in 1993
The model’s relationship with Hollywood star Johnny Depp in the 1990s kickstarted the world’s fascination with her love life. Pic: John Barrett/MediaPunch/IPX
When Stella McCartney was a fashion student at Central St Martin’s, having a friend who happened to be one of the most famous models in the world must have helped when it came to presenting her degree collection
Moss became famous for modelling for Calvin Klein, most notably with the now Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg – known to most as ‘Marky Mark’ (of Funky Bunch fame) back then. Here she is surrounded by paps at the opening of a Calvin Klein store
Moss was named female model of the year at the 1996 VH-1 fashion awards. She had become known for her slight frame, dubbed ‘heroin chic’, in comparison with the taller, more curvaceous supers of the time such as Claudia Schiffer and Elle Macpherson
1997 was peak Cool Britannia thanks to Tony Blair’s landslide general election win. First we had Geri Halliwell in her Brits Union Jack tea-towel dress, then Moss served her own tribute to launch London Fashion Week. Things could only get better…
Sitting with fellow model Jade Jagger, Moss is pictured waiting to walk down the catwalk for Matthew Williamson – the pair reportedly waived their fees in order to keep their outfits…
Another day, another catwalk: A pink-haired Moss joined forces with Campbell once again for Italian designer Donatella Versace (centre), for Gianni Versace’s Spring/Summer 99 collection show in Milan in 1998
On the red carpet with fellow super Claudia Schiffer at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998
Another catwalk, this time for designer Julien MacDonald (centre), walking with stars including Scary Spice Mel B at Camden Roundhouse as part of London Fashion Week in 1999. Spoiler alert: more catwalk pics to come
Another Moss/ Versace/ Campbell reunion in 1999
As well as her outfits and relationships, the world has also been obsessed with Moss’s hair. Here she is pulling off a much shorter, more severe do on a Gucci catwalk in Milan in 2000
Then came the elfin crop, debuted here alongside former South African president Nelson Mandela and behind fellow supers Naomi Campbell, Erin O’Connor and Elle Macpherson in 2001
Moss modelled for pal Sadie Frost for FrostFrench, the label created by Frost and Jemima French, during London Fashion Week in 2002. At this time, she was pregnant with Lila Grace, her daughter with her ex Jefferson Hack, a journalist
You could create a gallery dedicated to Moss’s Glastonbury looks alone. Here she is looking effortlessly cool in what appears to be her first photographed attendance in 2003
The Queen of Fashion matches the actual Queen in royal blue, at a reception for women achievers held at Buckingham Palace in 2004. Also pictured but not matching the Queen are JK Rowling, Heather Mills and Charlotte Church
Immortalised by artist Sam Taylor Wood in Jimmy Choos and Cartier jewellery only. This was one of a series of nude portraits – also including Victoria Beckham – auctioned at Christie’s to raise funds for the Elton John Aids Foundation
Glastonbury has hosted headliners from Elton John to Beyonce – but this from 2005, of Moss in a gold mini-dress and wellies, with then boyfriend Pete Doherty, will always be one of the festival’s most famous images. Pic: Anna Barclay/Shutterstock
Moss has been the face of many brands over the years, including Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle. See also: Calvin Klein, Rimmel – get the London look – and even Diet Coke
In 2005, she was dropped by some brands after photos of her apparently taking cocaine were published in the Daily Mirror. Designer Alexander McQueen came out in support of the model with this T-shirt at one of his catwalk shows a few weeks later
In recent years, several stars who have died have been brought back to life through holograms. Kate Moss, though, is a woman so famous she gets one while she is alive – this was at an Alexander McQueen show in Paris in 2006
Moss pictured at the Unique fashion show by Topshop in London in September 2006. We smell a collab coming on…
Moss has been the subject of many works of art over the years, including by Banksy – who immortalised the model Andy Warhol-style
After her split with Doherty, Moss went on to date Jamie Hince of The Kills. Here they are pictured after the band’s performance at Glastonbury in 2008
More Glastonbury, this time pictured with burglar-inspired onesie-wearer Jaime Winstone in 2011, when The Kills were playing once again
In 2014, Moss accepted a Brit award on behalf of her friend David Bowie, with the prize presented by Noel Gallagher. The singer wanted someone who could pull off his famous Ziggy Stardust playsuit – there could only be one choice
Moss, an icon of British modelling, pictured with the then up-and-coming Cara Delevingne at the presentation of a Burberry Spring/Summer collection in 2014. Delevingne later credited Moss with helping her at the start of her career
Another iconic look – this one is a costume worn by Moss for the 2013 photograph Body Armour, by pop artist Allen Jones, displayed at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2014
The model channelled the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll when she starred in a specially filmed music video for The Wonder of You by Elvis Presley, wearing four of his most famous looks – including the black leather suit from his 1968 Comeback Special
Moss has starred as herself in several TV shows and films, most notably the big screen debut of Absolutely Fabulous in 2016. She reportedly performed her own stunts, falling off a wall into the Thames. Pal Stella McCartney also co-starred as herself
Another Moss artwork, this one a solid 18-carat gold bust by Marc Quinn which was shown as part of the Midas Touch auction, dedicated entirely to gold, at Sotheby’s in London in 2018
Another pic with friend Rita Ora, this one at the Met Gala with designer Marc Jacobs in 2019. The theme? Camp: Notes on Fashion
With open-top buses representing different decades touring London for the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022, it was Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell leading the 1990s party bus that we all wanted to see (apologies to Sir Cliff and Gary Lineker)
Kate Moss was enlisted to model for Kim Kardashian’s Skims in 2021. Sadly, Sky News’ Moss 50th pic budget doesn’t stretch to those images, so here she is keeping up with Kourtney Kardashian and husband Travis Barker at New York Fashion Week in 2022
Moss has been in a relationship with Count Nikolai von Bismarck for several years. Here, they are pictured at a Saint Laurent show in Paris in 2022. Pic: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
Imagine having a mum who takes you to the Met Gala? Pic: DPRF/STAR MAX/IPx/AP
And makes you her Vogue wing-woman? Pic: Tim Walker/British Vogue
Happy birthday, Kate Moss! Thanks for your service. Pic: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP