Let me first say that yes, I've been a fan of Kate Moss ever since I can remember, and no, I never once thought I'd get the chance to meet her. That unthinkable moment happened this week when I traveled across the pond on behalf of Rimmel London, which hosted an event to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its partnership with Kate and launch her limited-edition collection of shades for its Lasting Finish lipstick. I was also lucky enough to have something of a cheering squad in my friends and co-workers, as well as my dad, who was mostly just proud of himself for knowing who Kate Moss is.
There were about 12 of us in the room, sitting across from each other on benches draped in vintage scarves, surrounded by clothing from Kate's very own closet. Of course I recognized the pieces instantly — the red sheer gown she wore to Mario Testino's 60th birthday party, her beloved Balmain leather pants — but they all but disappeared from view once she walked in. She definitely seemed a bit nervous at first, but once she sat down with host Scott Wimsett and her fashion stylist, the amazing Zoe Bedeaux, it wasn't long before the tension subsided.
I didn't blame Kate for feeling anxious. She came up in the '90s, an era of models "being seen and not heard," when she didn't have to give interviews, pose for selfies, or even meet with press. I can't imagine how it must feel now, to be in a new world where models have to be brands and are expected to talk about themselves all the time. I've always loved Kate for being such an enigma, and I respect her a lot for evolving with the times and essentially "playing the game."
What I didn't expect was for Kate to be so open. I imagined that the cheeky one-liners, dry sense of humor, and loud, ringing laugh I'd read about were reserved for close friends and famous colleagues, but I was wrong — and so happy to be. Kate lived up to my every idea of her; she was every bit of the charismatic, funny, and witty person I've seen in photos and rare interviews over the years. She revealed things that I wasn't expecting to hear — like that her 13-year-old daughter, Lila Grace Hack, tells her what to do with her makeup and that Kate "chews" her lipstick off but is getting better at breaking the habit. Here are a handful of things I learned during my brief meeting with the other queen, Kate Moss.