IcelandicFashist: October 2008

How do you get ready to go out in the evening?

I get my girlfriends round, put some music on and have a drink to get in the mood.

What is your fail-safe party item?

A little black dress, of course. If I’m going dancing, then I wear the highest heels with the shortest dress.
Can you describe your perfect night out?

My favourite nights out are nights with lots of friends. I also love going to gigs. At the moment I enjoy going to Punk on a Thursday with Queens of Noize, they always play a great eclectic mix. I’ve always had great – probably my most memorable – nights out and some brilliant parties on my birthday, particularly my 30th. I later found out that the dress I wore that night was owned by Britt Ekland, and she wore it to the premiere of The Man with the Golden Gun. I love it so much, I used it to inspire a dress in my Topshop Christmas collection. It is intricately covered in midnight-blue sequins, so we have only produced 10 of the full-length version. There is also a shorter mini version, which will be more readily available. It’s perfect for Christmas parties, and looks best when worn with casual, rocky hair and ankle boots. Another one of my all-time favourite birthdays was spent with some of my closest friends at a Rolling Stones gig, which, as always, was amazing, and something I’ll never forget.
What does a girl need in her handbag for a night out?

Black eyeliner, keys and money.
What’s your favourite drink right now?

Vodka tonic.
What do you like to dance to?

Rock’n’roll and happy house.
Who do you like to dance with?

My girlfriends and men that can dance!
What perfume for a night out?

Kate Moss Velvet Hour. My first perfume was Anaïs Anaïs, and the first perfume I ever loved was Chanel No 5.
When you first started going out, what was your look?

High-top trainers and a black leather goose jacket with a fur collar.
Where do you get your ideas from for your designs? Through work, I have travelled the world, and on the way I’ve built up the biggest collection of vintage and secondhand pieces. They are often love-worn, each with its own story. Retro styles and vintage clothing inspire so much of what I wear. I found a similar dress to the panther one [previous page, left] in a New York flea market when I was 17, and I’ve kept it ever since. I chopped off the bottom and used it as inspiration for this version.
What’s the oldest item of clothing you own?

When I was 14, I modelled for John Galliano, and he gave me clothes as payment. I still have his bias-cut slip dresses.
What do you most want to pass on to your daughter?

All my couture dresses, especially my sequin “shampoo” dress that Johnny Depp had made for my 21st birthday. [It was a red satin dress. Johnny told her they were going out for dinner, and just as they were walking out the door, he grabbed a pair of scissors and lopped the bottom off, making it considerably shorter. He then took Kate to his club, the Viper Room in LA, drew back a curtain and revealed all of her friends who he had flown in especially for the party. John Galliano, Michael Hutchence, Christy Turlington and Helena Christensen were just some of the people there, and Gloria Gaynor sang Happy Birthday].
Over-the-knee boots and miniskirts – how young do you have to be to get away with this?

For a girl in her teens, twenties and thirties, it’s fine. Someone in their forties could wear boots and minis with thick black tights in the evening. Just remember that, ultimately, dressing is always about attitude, feeling comfortable and confidence.
What’s the most successful dress you’ve designed so far?

My print dresses are always a huge success, and the red pansy-print one from this year’s spring collection was the best ever. The neckline suits all body shapes and the colour was great for summer. It was perfect for day with sandals, but worked just as well at night with tights and a heel. [Kate sold 6,500 pansy dresses at £60 each.]
Is there a perfect leather jacket?

Yes. It’s something you can throw on every day and looks better with age. I’ve just bought a Balenciaga leather biker jacket – it’s gorge!
Talk us through the new long-sleeved minidress with the Bowie-esque black and gold pattern .. . It was inspired by a vintage find. It’s the sort of dress you could wear to a dinner party or a club – I wore it to the new Ivy club recently. Tell us about jewellery. What would you wear on a night out? I love antique diamonds.
What’s a good make-up look for a night out?

You need “impact” make-up. Smoky eyes are always, always a good look.
What advice can you give on how to wear clothes?

I don’t think of things as “outfits” – I throw together what I feel is right for the night.
Always make the best of your body type: if you have great legs, show them off with a short dress and heels or skinny jeans. If you’ve got a large bust, avoid high necklines. Learn what your best assets are and draw the focus away from the bits you’re not so keen on. Wear what suits you best, rather than following trends, and create your own style.
When it comes to dressing, I follow my feelings and just get dressed. For me, it’s not necessarily about trends or even interpreting catwalk looks.
That kind of intellectualising is something I never do. I go with a feeling or emotion and don’t necessarily plan, unless, perhaps, it’s a special occasion, or I’ve just bought something that I love and am desperate to wear (such as my new Balenciaga biker jacket).
At other times I get inspired by films, or I will have been looking through old record covers or books and certain looks have just stuck in my mind.

KATE’S HOT TIPS
- Never look like you’ve tried too hard – or, rather, don’t try too hard! Mismatching can add a much more personal touch to an outfit.
- Be brave and try a new hairstyle. It can completely transform your look just for one night and inspire a new way of looking at your existing wardrobe.
Don’t do the catwalk look head to toe. Mix old with new, designer with high street – the options are endless, and it’s good to make it your own vision. For example, I wore a beautiful Chanel maxidress to my friend’s wedding with a 1930s antique blue velvet cape and some huge, hooped Turkish earrings, which gave the dress a totally different feel.
- When you buy a vintage or secondhand piece, don’t take it on face value – it can be altered in so many ways. I’ve lopped the hem off many a full-length gown and made necklines lower. It does help to have a genius dressmaker, otherwise just do it yourself.
- If you’re going out for the evening, think about your outerwear, as well as the outfit underneath. Again, mismatching sort of accidentally works well and can look effortless. For example, don’t be afraid to wear a battered leather jacket with a full-length gown, or an extravagant embroidered evening jacket with old jeans and a T-shirt.