Mario Testino vs. Kate Moss

When one of the most renowned fashion photographers collaborates with his muse, it is unsurprising that they should create the most exclusive photographic tome since Helmut Newton’s gargantuan, and aptly named, Sumo. Kate Moss by Mario Testino, printed in extremely limited edition and retailing at about £600, has become an object of lust for fashionistas everywhere. Not only does it contain some of the most iconic work of a creative genius, but it also gives a glimpse into the world of the inimitable Kate Moss, from her early days backstage at her first runway shows to her revolutionary editorials, plus intimate private shots between the two extraordinarily close friends.

Says Testino of Moss: “I met Kate very early on. Shortly after her first Galliano show I went backstage to congratulate her, only to find her crying: she was disappointed that she had only been given one outfit to model in the show. My answer to her was this: ‘In life there are perfumes and colognes. You need to use lots of cologne as the scent fades away; with a perfume you just use a drop and it lasts all night. You are a perfume, you will go on and on.’ Little did I know just how true that would become! And that I had made a friend for life.”

This book is an tribute by one icon of the fashion world to another: if only my student loan would allow, a copy would take pride of place on my coffee table!