Kate Moss: Career, Relationships, and Controversies

Some iconic images define an era, but the stories behind them can take decades to tell. When Kate Moss recently opened up about waiting 23 years for closure with Johnny Depp, it reminded the world that the supermodel’s life has always been more complex than the headlines. This article examines the key moments of her career, her personal relationships, and the controversies that shaped her legacy.

Full name: Kate Moss · Born: 16 January 1974 · Height: 5 ft 7 in (1.74 m) – disputed · Notable campaign: Calvin Klein (1992) · Major controversy: 2005 cocaine scandal · Years active: 1988–present

Six key facts about Kate Moss, one pattern: her career has been marked by early triumphs and personal challenges.

Why did Johnny Depp leave Kate Moss?

• Kate Moss and Johnny Depp were in a relationship from 1994 to 1998 (People (celebrity news outlet)).
• Depp reportedly ended the relationship due to Moss’s substance abuse (Newsweek (news magazine)).
• Moss stated she waited 23 years for closure on the breakup (Vanity Fair (fashion and culture magazine)).
• Depp later had high-profile relationships with Winona Ryder and others.

In a 2012 interview with Vanity Fair, Moss admitted she was heartbroken for years. “I cried for years after we split up,” she said (Vanity Fair (fashion and culture magazine)).

“He was the only person who had really been able to take care of me for a period of time.”

Kate Moss, Vanity Fair 2012 (Vanity Fair (fashion and culture magazine))

The implication: The emotional weight of this relationship lingered for Moss for over two decades, shaping her later personal life and public statements.

Is Kate Moss currently in a relationship?

• Kate Moss was married to Jamie Hince from 2011 to 2016 (People (celebrity news outlet)).
• She has a daughter, Lila Grace, with Jefferson Hack (Vanity Fair (fashion and culture magazine)).
• As of 2025, her current relationship status is not publicly confirmed (International Business Times (digital news)).

Moss has largely kept her private life out of the spotlight in recent years. Her last confirmed relationship was with photographer Nikolai von Bismarck, which ended around 2023. No official statement has been made about a current partner.

The implication: Privacy is now a defining feature of Moss’s later years.

How much did Kate Moss weigh at 19?

• Moss’s weight at 19 was widely speculated during the heroin chic era.
• No official weight figure has been publicly released (Today (news and lifestyle)).
• She has stated she was naturally thin and not anorexic (Vanity Fair (fashion and culture magazine)).
• Her height is reported as 5 ft 7 in by some sources, while Wikipedia lists 5 ft 8.5 in (The Independent (UK news)).

During the 1990s, Moss became the face of the “heroin chic” trend, a look characterized by extreme thinness. She later addressed the controversy in interviews, noting that her body type was natural and not driven by eating disorders. The exact weight figures remain unknown, as Moss never publicly shared them.

The catch: Without official records, the fixation on her weight highlights how public perception often replaced facts during the height of her fame.

What was the downfall of Kate Moss?

• In 2005, Moss was involved in a cocaine scandal leading to lost contracts (Newsweek (news magazine)).
• She has spoken publicly about struggles with substance abuse (Vanity Fair (fashion and culture magazine)).
• Recent reports indicate she has maintained sobriety in later years (Entertainment Tonight (entertainment news)).
• The heroin chic label contributed to criticism of her modeling image (Today (news and lifestyle)).

The 2005 cocaine scandal was a turning point. The Daily Mirror published photographs of Moss allegedly using cocaine, leading brands like H&M and Burberry to drop her. She later sought treatment and slowly rebuilt her career. In 2012, she told Vanity Fair she was “clean and sober.” No recent public statement has confirmed her current sobriety status, but those close to her describe her as stable.

The consequence: The fashion industry adopted stricter standards for model welfare.

What did Mark Wahlberg say about Kate Moss?

• Mark Wahlberg made controversial comments during a 1992 Calvin Klein shoot (Interview Magazine (arts and culture)).
• Moss later said she felt scared during the shoot (Entertainment Tonight (entertainment news)).
• Wahlberg has since apologized for his behavior on set (International Business Times (digital news)).

In a 2012 interview, Moss described the Calvin Klein photo shoot with Wahlberg as a “nervous breakdown.” She said she could not get out of bed for one to two weeks beforehand and felt objectified during the shoot. Wahlberg later expressed regret, saying he was “young and stupid” (Today (news and lifestyle)). Calvin Klein himself told Interview Magazine that Moss and Wahlberg “couldn’t stand each other” during the campaign.

The trade-off: The campaign made Moss a household name, but the personal cost was high—a contrast between career success and emotional wellbeing that she carried for years.

Kate Moss’s story is one of extraordinary success and personal struggle. For a generation of fashion consumers, she remains a symbol of 1990s cool, but also a cautionary tale about the price of fame. The choices made by the industry then—propping up heroin chic, ignoring young model welfare—continue to echo in today’s stricter regulations. For Moss, the pursuit of closure with Depp and public acknowledgment of past discomfort show a woman still reckoning with her past. The lesson for the fashion world is clear: protect the people behind the images, or risk repeating the same mistakes.