by SLK

Created on: December 05, 2008

Kate Moss, a regular in the annual "best-dressed" lists beloved of magazines and TV polls, the supermodel known for her party girl lifestyle, continuing success in the fickle world of fashion and her uncanny ability to pick out a look that most women under 30 will aspire to, whether they are aware of it or not.

When Kate Moss signed with retail giant TopShop it seemed that fashion had come full circle, instead of trawling through shops trying to find an imitation of Kate's latest vintage blouse etc, anyone who wanted to could head to TopShop [or shop online www.topshop.co.uk] and pick up her exact outfit, usually for a reasonable price. If the sales figures are anything to go by, the initial collection was outrageously successful, with many items selling out within minutes. However, the latest collections are not selling as quickly, perhaps due to the larger economic problems or, are the whispers right, are we getting tired dressing like Kate?

The collection as a whole plays tribute to Kate's rock chick' look and whilst she has made it popular again, she was hardly the first to don faded skinny jeans and a waistcoat. A further issue is that perhaps this particular look of hers has been around too long, Kate Moss first started stepping out in her groupie look about five years ago and has kept to this theme ever since. Before that she was an expert at changing her hair and looks regularly, earning perhaps more appropriately the title of Fashion Chameleon. Does anyone remember the pixie crop as featured in the Chanel adverts? The sleek blonde short hairdo post-childbirth? The brunette bangs early on? (Before bangs were seen as the definitive way to add some spice to otherwise long, straight hair) Yes, Kate Moss from the 90s until 2003 was an ever-changing fashion darling but ever since then it's all become just a little bit familiar, with this in mind, is it possible that this collection is just too obvious to our media-saturated minds? If your Mum has cottoned on to ballet pumps it's time to move on.

It might sound a little churlish, but the very accessibility of the pieces is robbing formerly ingenious shoppers of their autonomy. Now you can simply click a few buttons to replicate Moss' style and therefore less thought is given to the look itself. This thought inevitably leads to the unsettling idea that if there is no longer any need to interpret the looks, if we can simply imitate them, then are we simply an army of clones, clad in skinny jeans and flats? This

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