Fashion has long been in the business of marketing decadence. The legends of Studio 54 and the over indulgence of the “beautiful people” of the roaring twenties have inspired countless catwalk shows. The connection with drugs is often explicit: Yves Saint Laurent produces a fragrance named Opium, for which Sophie Dahl was famously photographed naked, head thrown back in ecstasy, clutching the bottle to her chest. Christian Dior has a scent called Addict, Calvin Klein produces Crave, and Gucci makes Rush.

The fine line where drugs meet fashion has always been known but rarely photographed, and kept behind closed doors — Until now.

The latest drug/fashion scandal escalated recently when supermodel/mother/style icon, Kate Moss, also referred to these days as ‘Cocaine Kate' was allegedly photographed snorting cocaine.

Photos snapped by paparazzi of Moss reveal that not even the 31 year-old fashionista looks glamorous with a rolled-up five dollar bill stuck up one nostril. It was these photos that confirmed her longtime addiction with drugs. Rumours of her drug habits have circulated for years but she has always denied taking Class-A drugs such as cocaine. Until now, Moss' career with lucrative modeling contracts was never affected.

New anti-drugs campaigners have urged the brands such as Chanel, Dior, and Burberry to dump Miss Moss, and hire a more ‘healthy and respectable' representative.

Chanel said it had no plans to use her again in the near future, and Dior has cancelled an upcoming campaign. Soon to follow was fashion store H&M's decision to drop her because of the allegations. In a statement, Burberry said both the company and Moss had “mutually agreed that it is inappropriate to go ahead” with further ads.

Drug use has long been associated with the stylish world of models and many believe that fashion promotes the use of such drugs. Countless images of skeletal models flood designer ads and catwalk shows where the subjects have a hazy, glazed over look in their eyes. These images portrayed in the industry continue to glamorize a ‘heroin-chic' addiction.

In the early 1990's it was heroin that was popular in the industry, with Moss, ironically, being the teenage poster girl and role model for this era. Beautifully dressed images of her that graced the front and back covers of fashion magazines could easily portray someone with a serious addiction. Models soon became known for their frail figure and bloodshot eyes (often covered by oversized glasses). This ‘cracked out' look has now modernized, and made its way to city streets. Girls and guys have adapted to and accepted this trend and the consequences that follow. The message sent is that there has never been a better time to get high and look good while doing it. The industry thrusts images daily of fashion icons covering up their ‘dirty secret' in fabulous attire suited to disguise their rock star lifestyle, only it's no longer a secret.

The line between fashion fantasy and reality has been crossed; fashion has become retrospectively moralistic, however encouraging the use of many drugs. In nurturing the associations of decadence in the image of Kate Moss, the fashion industry was playing with fire; it is Moss, however, who has ended up getting burned.

Think the heroin chic look is still in? Prefer the Tyra Banks “bigger and better” view on modelling? Email your opinions to fanshawe_fashionista@yahoo.com
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