Kate Moss Tops Up

Wed., Sep. 20, 2006 8:00 AM PDT by Gina Serpe

Kate Moss is strutting her stuff on the other side of the catwalk.

The 32-year-old supermodel and muse to many a fashion house will try her hand at designing, teaming up with British mega-chain Topshop to launch her own line of clothing, aptly dubbed Kate Moss for Topshop.

"I have always been a big fan of Topshop and regularly shop there," Moss said in a statement. "I love what they stand for and am very excited at the thought of working with them. It's going to be great fun."

The announcement was made Wednesday after the fully rebounded professional poser attended the High Street store's fashion show with billionaire owner Philip Green at the start of London's Fashion Week.

"Kate has a unique position as a true fashion icon, and I look forward to helping develop Kate Moss for Topshop into a global brand," Green said.

"She is a fashion icon in terms of the U.K....and this is what Topshop is all about in terms of fashion," he told WWD. "Our customers identify with her."

The design coup ends months of speculation by the fashion world that Moss was partnering with the clothing house, with Green confirming that the exclusive collection will be more than just a one-off stunt, as has been done in partnerships by fellow retailers H&M and Target with high-fashion designers.

According to Topshop, Moss' line will debut in spring/summer 2007 in all 308 U.K. locations, and will also be available at international outlets, including the soon-to-open New York store, as well as through the retailer's Website.

Neither side disclosed the terms of the deal, though contracting the fashion world's most courted and enviable "get" into a longterm partnership likely did much to boost the supermodel's ever-growing bank account.

What a difference a year makes.

In September 2005, the now infamous photos of an allegedly cocaine-snorting Moss surfaced in the press, prompting a year of unprecedented highs and lows for the erstwhile icon.

But the perpetual covergirl's comeback has seemingly turned her into a bigger brand than before the scandal, with her profile and industry cachet--if the pages of both U.S. and U.K. magazines are any indication--reaching higher than ever.

Over the past season, Moss has starred in 18 major campaigns for everything ranging from luxury fashion houses (Chanel, Calvin Klein, Burberry, Stella McCartney) to cell phones (Virgin Mobile) to makeup (Rimmel) to even cameras (Nikon).

The trendsetter's new line is expected to be kept under tight wraps until its debut next spring.