feeling good: kate moss & james brown

Every girl, I feel, should experience, at some point in her life, being somebody's muse.

And equally, every girl - if she's lucky - should have a best friend who is a cute gay man.

Kate Moss, lucky girl, has both. In the form of James Brown. The hairdresser, not the singer.


I love that they go way back, before either were famous. Their friendship reminds me of my best friendships with my gay friends. I was talking to one of them, my friend Joe, in NY yesterday, (who is not just one of my best friends, but also happens to be gay - if he wasn't, I'd have married him by now - and, as a photographer, I'm sometimes his muse), and we were talking about how, if the Mayan Calendar thing turns out to be true - which of course we doubt - that we're at a point in our lives where we're feeling good. It seems a lot of my friends - and my husband, too - we're all kind of feeling in that happily ever after time. The future looks bright, but we're not counting on the future to make us feel good now.

So for your listening pleasure, I'm providing, in a pop out window, a song by the other James Brown.

The thing about Kate Moss - as Anna Wintour was quoted recently, in Vanity Fair (and I paraphrase) is yes, no doubt about it, she's got this great, innate personal style, but she's not the only one. Many English girls have got it. That's why, when I was asked recently to talk about street style in a piece for the Wall Street Journal, I said that shooting in London is basically like shooting fish.

The other thing about Kate Moss is - as her friend Lucie's father in law, Keith Richards said about her, for a bad girl she's always been pretty good. And part of that is being polite, and professional.

So when a very nice girl - who has already sent me a free sample of that gorgeous White Company Blanc heavenly scented lotion, Blanc - sent me samples weeks and weeks ago, of James Brown's shampoo and conditioner, shame on me for not even opening the package, let alone doing a post on it. I know that everyone assumes that everything we're seeing these days on fashion blogs is part of an affiliate scheme - I know, I am, because I'm approached to do them all the time - I don't actually take part. If I do - like I did last summer, for Westfield - I'll tell you. But I do feel - and my husband, when I told him that this morning I was washing my hair with James Brown shampoo and conditioner, because I got sent a free sample and I hadn't done the post and it was rude not to - said you're not kidding. It's exceptionally rude. Especially since Beckilou, who's been in touch, has been the absolutely sweetest, nicest, most patient person I've ever encountered working in PR.

And then.. what can I say, the experience was heady. As someone who prides myself as being low maintenance - I cut my own hair with a scissor and it takes about five minutes, or less - the one luxury in my life is washing my hair, or taking bubble baths with sea salt and almond oil. And to think that I scrimp on shampoo - buying the cheapest stuff around - when for a few pounds more - pennies per shampoo - I can be wrapping myself in this kind of luxury. And - I'm not just saying this to be polite - I really do feel the difference. The shampoo isn't that strongly scented, because that's the part that washes out, but the scent in the conditioner is so delicious. Clean and floral - my husband, forgetting the conversation I'd had 20 minutes earlier, asked me, when I came out, what that great smell was. But also, there's none of that silicone and the other junk in most hair products. And, let's face it: I don't want that shit in my lips or my boobs, why would I want it in my hair.

And I love the packaging: it's so luxurious to have those two products now, clean and simple and white, on the edge of the bath. I feel like a star. I feel good.

So the least I can do, as a thank you, is make a little photoshop collage of Kate with some product placement. My way of saying thank you for what may well be my favourite Christmas present.