Once upon a time, in a pre-internet, pre-Instagram era, fashion people wore black (almost exclusively). 'Twas the official uniform of the "black crows," as revered journalist Suzy Menkes once said. Nothing was more stylish (or as much of a signifier of one's industry status) than shades of black from the edgiest designers like Comme des Garçons or Helmut Lang.
With today's highly documented style set resembling a veritable curbside rainbow rather than a flock of goths, it's easy to feel that wearing black isn't "exciting" or "fashionable" enough. But in real life, the look never dies. Black clothes, shoes, and accessories endure trends and fads—just ask Kate Moss, who has been looking incredible over the past few months, and whose every getup has been solely crafted from the non-color.
So how does the supermodel look fab rather than drab? Firstly, she artfully combines luxe, textural fabrics (think vintage velvets set against denim or a satin blouse worn with a more austere woolen-blend trouser suit). With a hint of leopard, a sprinkling of gold jewelry, and her bohemian blonde waves, Mossy's all-black ensembles look considered, elegant, and timeless. Which gives us great hope during a period where we're ever more keen to invest in items that can be worn a thousand ways for a thousand days.
Kate may have a wardrobe chock-full of gems from her pals at Dior, McQueen, Galliano and the like, but many black items can look good on a budget, so we have tracked down some rock 'n' roll Moss-ness from H&M for your perusal. Scroll to see Kate's recent all-black outfits and to shop her look.