SUPERMODEL royalty Kate Moss joined forces with Zara this winter to create the ultimate party wardrobe.
The 50-year-old, who was once ranked as the 99th richest woman in Britain, created LBDs, tailoring and boho prints synonymous with her never-changing style.
And despite being able to afford clobber from the likes of high-end fashion houses and obscure couture designers, Kate’s high-street collaboration actually makes sense.
Why? Because it’s not her first rodeo.
Cast your mind back to 2007.
Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone, Katie Price and Peter Andre welcomed their first daughter, and Kate Moss launched her first collection with Topshop.
The main appeal to fans was that the supermodel had dipped into her personal archive to recreate some of her most iconic looks.
Working class women were able to shop near-identical replicas of some of her most luxurious outfits.
Fast forward to 2024, Kate has applied the exact same replication strategy for her all-new Zara collection, according to fashion experts.
“It’s a winning formula because Kate is a British style icon,” comments Sophia Lorimer, sustainable stylist and founder of Fine-Tuned Wardrobe.
“It will not only be the younger generation of consumers who might not even know who she is that will be in line for this Zara range, but also the older generation who grew up with her iconic style.”
Still to this day, the pieces from Kate’s various Topshop collections are a resell sensation going for over £1,000 on eBay, meaning it’s clear that recreating her old looks is a winning recipe for Miss Moss.
Will her Zara collection have the lasting allure of her Topshop ones? It’s “very likely”, tells fashion consultant Alison Lowe MBE.
“It is very likely that Kate’s collaboration with Zara will be highly successful,” the expert comments.
“This will be due to Kate’s global appeal as a legendary supermodel and enduring style icon.
“Match this to Zara’s ability to produce on trend, high-quality items at more accessible prices than high-end fashion houses, and then the collection could be flying off the racks.”
Croydon-born Kate announced her first-ever Zara collection last week [November 25] and it hit stores just days later.
The day-to-night designs were put together by the supermodel herself and celebrity stylist pal Katy England.
Among the pieces are a £109 leather jacket, and real leather jacket in animal print for an eye-watering £699 – looks that have been synonymous with Kate for over two decades.
“Details about Kate’s earnings from her collaboration with Zara have not been publicly disclosed,” fashion consultant Alison adds.
“But more than likely, she will have been offered a combination of upfront fees and a share of profits, as is typical for high-profile celebrity collaborations.
“Both parties will be hoping to reap significant profits from the business partnership.”
Sophie Lorimer adds: “It’s the fist time she has collaborated on a collection like this in over 10 years, so I have no doubt it will be a sell out.”
Sophia Lorimer, a Sustainable Stylist and the founder of Fine-Tuned Wardrobe, believes women should shop Kate Moss’ old Topshop collaborations over her new Zara one.
She tells Fabulous: “The quality of the Topshop garments at that time were much better. And, although still fast fashion, they were built to last longer than some of the pieces we see today.
“I for one have many Tophop items from that time that are still in great condition many years on .
“There are over 58,000 searches on Vinted alone for the Kate Moss collaboration with Topshop collection, with over 4,300 actually listed just on that site.
“Furthermore, there are over 61.8 million Zara items also on Vinted, meaning that many of Zara items once brought and owned once or twice now end up here before eventually ending up in landfill.
“My invitation to anyone looking to go and buy this collection is to really be mindful of that purchase and not just buy it because it’s the collaboration of the moment.
“Quality pieces that are made well are the best way to have a more sustainable wardrobe that will last not just a season but many many more.”
