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• September 23, 2008 11:36 AM
• News

The Myth of Moss: Kate's Paris Retrospective

By Gabriel Bell

Come November 2009, model Kate Moss will have a dedicated exhibition at the Les Arts Décoratifs, the Paris musée known as much for showcasing the various priceless knick knacks of the Bourbon dynasty as hosting retrospectives on Valentino and Sonia Rykiel. Hot of the heels of Moss' enshrinement in gold, the exhibition will trace the "Kate Moss myth" in advertising, and will feature photographs from commercial campaigns and artistic shots of Croydon's favorite daughter detailing her evolution from cockney gamine to rough-edged fashion icon. And what exactly is the "Kate Moss myth"? Certainly, her drawn physical appearance from the mid-90s out shaped the way women feel about their own bodies (more on that here), and her rock-star behavior (i.e. trashing hotel rooms, cocaine scandals, dating Pete Dougherty) have redefined modeling and glamor in our time (and sold a lot of perfume). But perhaps the biggest myth of Kate, and one that the show may skip over, is that any girl from the wrong side of the tracks with a funny face, a smoldering attitude, and a pack-a-day habit can effect the global definition of beauty. Really, she's our Cinderella. (WWD)

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