Haute Hypocrisy

Of course, we all know that Kate Moss has been caught doing drugs (cocaine, to be exact). She is being fired from many of her high-profile (not to mention high-paying) modeling contracts. While I sympathize with uptight advertising execs who want to send a clear "we-do-not-tolerate-drug-use" message, I have to question the deeper motives of the fashion industry in general. This is blatant hypocrisy! The world of high fashion design and merchandising has probably never been a haven of justice and/or sweet reason (two words: eating disorder), but there has been a certain attitude of tolerance, and "dirty laundry" has usually been kept within the community. Why is Kate Moss taking a fall?

First, Moss herself has now admitted that she was really doing drugs, so she is not a victim of slander. Furthermore, Moss has a known history of drug and alcohol abuse, and has been considered by many to be a public (pretty) face of a sort of swinging, hard-drinking London lifestyle; she was representative of "heroin chic" in the 1990s. Up till now, however, she has been tolerated. This time, has she taken one hit too many? Is the industry primed for a change back to truly healthier imagery (now, this I'd like to see)? Why is the industry as a whole (plus other media) turning on her? Kate has been a glamorous and edgy representative for numerous lucrative campaigns; the more controversial she was, the more valuable she became. So, the only answer that makes sense to me is that others are using her problems as a shield, trying to deflect attention from the many other people who abuse drugs. Seriously, if designers and marketers fired everyone in the industry who does drugs, there would be hardly anyone left! Many models are notorious partiers and drinkers, and even supermodel Naomi Campbell has been open about her struggles with drugs; designers have been known to use drugs (D. Versace, who famously went into rehab, is an example). Instead of firing everyone, the powers that be are firing Kate Moss as a warning to everyone else.

I don't approve of drug abuse, but I have always felt a little sorry for Kate Moss. How many real friends does she have?