Kate Moss: The Complete Picture

Kate Moss. Literally the most successful model in the world. Seeing as today people bend over backwards to get just a glimpse of her, its hard to believe that at one point in her life, she was being rejected by editors and photographers alike. Her look- Heroin chic. She pretty much invented the look. Today at only 5'7 and 37 years old, she is still one of the most in demand models in the world.

Biographies, the second best thing to memoirs, are one of the ways I get to learning- if somewhat indirectly, about fashion (in my case, but I guess it could be anything.) Even Anna Wintour said in her January 2011 editors letter "I love reading memoirs, those deeply personal narratives that can reveal universal truths." In times where 500 page novels appear 3-4 days after the death of any well known person, its pretty easy to find books on your favorite celebrity/editor/model/or any other person you feel could have something to teach you.

I have to admit that I am a slightly huge Kate Moss fan (but I mean she is probably the CoCo Chanel of models, its kind of implied that if your work in fashion, you'll somehow reference her in your work.) I own a couple of books on her, but being a junior in high school has kept me a safe distance away from any biographies. However, with two seven hour plane rides and a 4 hour train ride, I managed to devour it (and take so many notes, I doubt anyone else will be able to read it.) It was filled with alot of memorable quotes on both fashion, and what Anna describes as those little "universal truths."

(all quotes from Kate Moss: The Complete Picture by Laura Collins)

"Kate was a rebel, but never a manevolent one, never a bully or cruel, just bored, restless, and disinterested in what academia had to offer."

"Kate made herself popular and bookable by being fun on set, chattering to everyone from the make-up artist to the lighting assistant, turning up the music, and from early on demonstrating the knack of 'getting' whatever the photographer needed from her."

"Anastasia and the Romanovs was one of the great romantic mysteries of the last century."

"Inspired by the 1930's childrens story swallows and amazons. It may not have been cool, but it was whimsical, childlike and fun."

"Their simplicity must have held a certain appeal."

"The more visible they make me, the less visible I become."

"Between love and madness lies obsession."

"If you're a nice person and you work hard you get to go shopping at Barney's. It's the decadent reward." - Sarah Jessica Parker

"Depp's mantra was that in life you should always surround yourself with people who are better then you because only then can you truly grow as a person."

"Kate had always been rather conscious of her voice. If more people heard it, might she loose some of her appeal?"

"You get up earlier than everybody, you go to bed later than everybody and when you're asleep, your dreaming about [your job]."

"Images of elegantly wasted models - pale, thin, and apparently 'out of it' - that graced the pages of glossy magazines and sold the clothes of fabulously expensive designers."

"Sleep? Why? Why not go on? There's too much to do. There are too many places to do."

"It's a compulsive disorder, this editing business, I had to face up to it, I was an addict and I needed my fix. One issue is too many and a thousand is not enough."

"Klien's safe, simple cuts... she had become too edgy, too interesting, to wear such fastidiously hemmed, neatly pressed garments with ant real conviction."

"Our consumption of your beauty, it will be released as vapour into the art gallery amd people will literally breath you in."

"Kate had the sort of credibility not easily ignored."