Interview

The Last of the Supermodels. She ended an era. And then started another one. There's something really special about Kate. She is a casual philosopher. She knows everybody. And if she doesn't know everything, she knows a lot-about a lot of things. She's bewitching and witchy-wise. Here's some of the wisdom. And some of the wit

Kate Moss is the last of the supermodels. After Kate, they really weren't super anymore. So what happened? Was it something she did? Was it Kate that killed the supermodel?

She broke the mold, anyway. Before little Kate Moss, supermodels were imposing Amazons, over 6 feet in heels, swaggering and swiveling down the runway with hot hauteur. They had big breasts and big boyfriends and didn't get out of bed for less than 10 grand a day. (And back then 10 grand was money!) So along came this little 14-year-old Brit with a sweet smile and naughty eyes, and she blew away the whole supermodel aesthetic.

Kate was grunge. She was the Kurt Cobain of mannequins. She rocked, but in a whole new way. And the outrage was palpable. She was "the waif." And suddenly everyone was concerned about whether she was getting enough to eat. For someone who grew up on Twiggy, I wasn't sure what they were talking about. To me the shocking thing about Kate was that she was 5 foot 7. But suddenly she was blamed for anorexia and things like "heroin chic." Remember? The other person who took heat for that was Vincent Gallo, who has never even smoked pot. Funny how image works. All along I insisted that I'd never seen an anorexic with such nice tits and ass.

But the supermodels weren't over yet. In fact, Kate was adopted by the supermodel club, the sidekick to Christy and Naomi and company. She fit right in. She had her share of legendary beaux and sensational incidents. She worked hard and got to the top, booking more covers than anybody else.

I've known Kate since she was a teenager. I met her through photographer Corinne Day, the real grunge culprit, and worked with Kate on her first TV gig, with Marky Mark for Calvin Klein. Even then she was worldly and cracking wise. She was great on TV. The favorite spot on my reel is Kate for ck one-"One for you and one for me, one for you and one for me." She might be a supermodel-but Kate Moss is real people. For someone on the sides of buildings, she's as down-to-earth as it gets. She's smart, self-educated, and funny enough that you can wind up with tears in your eyes. And she's got the right attitude. She hasn't dated specious counts or Formula One drivers. She hasn't made a record or written a novel or made dumb cameos in dumber movies. She has put out her own line of clothes for Topshop. And that's not a gimmick-she has started more styles than anybody else, and her CFDA Fashion Award and her perennial place on the best-dressed lists are no joke. She has style in her DNA. She has been on top of the modeling pyramid for 20 years, and she's 34.

I talked to Kate in Ibiza, at the home of Mert and Marcus, our cover photographers. Then she put on her makeup.

Glenn O'Brien: So, Kate, have you met everyone yet?

Kate Moss: Almost. Well, not everyone!

GO: Who haven't you met?

KM: Well . . . I have met almost everyone I've wanted to meet. How about you?

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