“Kate Moss is a fashion icon and without doubt one of the most prolific models in the industry,” the awards panel said in naming her the winner. “She has now been modelling for over 15 years and remains at the top of her game.”
The British Fashion Council refused to comment on the potential controversy of Moss’s nomination.
Moss lost contracts with H&M, Chanel, Gloria Vanderbilt and Burberry after Britain’s Daily Mirror published images of the model allegedly snorting cocaine with British rocker boyfriend Pete Doherty last year. The newspaper dubbed her “Cocaine Kate”.
YEAH…despite all that “crap” peeps said about her cocaine use and blah blah blah, all the other models are hatin’ cuz she’s the BEST! At the end of the day, she still got ‘Model of the Year’…she deserves it, she is a fashion icon and she’s just so versatile! Cheer for KATE!
Full story after the jump…
After the pictures were published, Moss made a public apology and went to a drug rehabilitation clinic in Arizona. Prosecutors decided in June there was insufficient evidence to charge her.
Since then, she has made a huge comeback, appearing frequently in fashion magazines and winning back contracts. Still, some say giving an award to someone whose career has been pocked by drug allegations sets a bad example.
“To me it’s baffling …,” said Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos, speaking in Britain this week during an anti-drug campaign.
“Model of the Year” is an industry accolade for the British model who has contributed the most to the international fashion scene over the last year.
“She’s the kind of survivor we all want to be,” said Jeremy Baker, a fashion expert at London Metropolitan University. “The paradox is that, since this time last year, the scandal made her a lot better off.”
Since the cocaine allegations, Moss has won more than a dozen contracts with names including Bulgari, Christian Dior, Rimmel cosmetics and perfume Coco Mademoiselle.
She has also signed deals with mobile phone brand Virgin Mobile and French luxury label Longchamp. Topshop recruited her to create a new clothing and accessories range, to be launched in spring, 2007.
Magazines including British Vogue and Vanity Fair featured Moss on their front covers in August and September.
Leading press, buyers and industry figures chose the Model of the Year from a shortlist compiled by Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman and a committee.
There is no money attached to the award.
George Ruston, director of Hope UK, a drug education charity, said the companies paying Moss and the council nominating her contribute to glorifying drug use.
“They’re making decisions to reward the behaviour,” Ruston said.
“I really don’t think people should be making personal gain out of stuff that is causing lots of problems in the world. I think the responsibility partly lies with the people who are funding, using Kate Moss’s notoriety for their own economic purposes.” – news.com
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