Supermodel Moss turns on style with designs
Having survived a full year as guest designer for Topshop, the model has ripped to threads any theories that she would be a mere novelty act and instead looks set to enjoy a long-term residence on the clothing giant’s books.
And it all looks so easy for the wonder waif who seems to have had to search no further for inspiration for her designs than the rock festivals she so often frequents.
She does sacrifice the wellies and muddied hems but, apart from that, her latest collection has plenty of pieces that wouldn’t go amiss among the female occupants of a partially rusted Volkswagen van traversing large tracts of countryside in search of males with low volume jeans and high volume guitars.
Or at least they would look the part in the Hollywood version of that scenario. In fact, the wardrobe mistress from Almost Famous, the 2000 movie about a 1970s rock band on tour, might well be checking her inventory.
Trousers are tight in the way that tight trousers help a glam rocker hit the high notes and lest the reference isn’t obvious, Kate includes glam rock stripes and flash stitches to draw attention to legs that, to be honest, would need to be fabulous in their own right to get away with such unforgiving styles.
She has motorbike denim, studded leather, ultra-short jackets, fringed arms, sleeveless furry gilets, soft-shaped blouses that would leave no seam mark if slept in while under canvas at a festival and a big, shapeless but endearing cardigan that looks like it came from the back of a unkempt mountain goat but is in fact named after a yeti.
But the collection isn’t all about backstage passes, and temporary deafness — Moss is a catwalk queen, after all, and she includes numbers that suggest the girl likes to be treated royally now and again.
Chiffon blouses and rather dainty tea dresses show she likes the smooth with the rough and she can’t help mixing her decades by taking a short step back into the ’60s with a baby doll dress that looks like it should have been prefixed with the word “night” and a striking high collared furry coat/jacket with big, bold buttons and three-quarter sleeves.
The collection arrived in the 16 Topshops across the country yesterday in prices above High Street averages but well below the debtors’ prison level designer gear normally aims for. Prices listed here are conversions from sterling. And as with all designs in the Moss mode, all pieces are best worn with a well-aimed pout.
