She was 14, and was yet to take part in that Corinne Day photoshoot on the beach that would mark the beginning of her stratospheric rise to fame.
But even before that fateful day with Day (which Kate, who was asked to pose topless, recently confessed she cried her way through), she sat for some test shots in 1988 with snapper David Ross.
A fresh-faced and wide-eyed Mossy – that’s worth £1,200 of anyone’s dosh
Of herself at that time, Kate has said in the New York Post: ‘I wasn’t the prettiest girl in class. No breasts, short legs, gangly teeth. I didn’t think I was model material, that’s for sure’ – clearly though, Storm boss Sarah Doukas, who scouted her earlier that year and got Ross to take the shots, spotted the Moss magic that has gone on to earn the model an estimated £50m (we can see it too, Mossmeister.
The black and whites went under the hammer at Bloomsbury auction house yesterday – the first time Ross had ever printed and sold any of the set – and the collection of three pics sold for £5,700 in total – an absolute bargain for an original print of Mossy, non?
She’s said she hates early photographs of herself – and while our head says ‘boo hoo, use one of your 5 million £10 notes to wipe your tears away’, a tiny shred of heart goes out to her – the thought of snaps of our dorky 14-year-old selves (which would DEFINITELY not fetch a grand at auction) being beamed being posted round the world brings us out in hives…
Nailing her piercing ‘down-the-lens’ eyes
Kate has said she hates early pics of herself – and though we think she looks awesome, a shot of our 14-year-old self going global would be…. mortifying
ROSS SAYS:
‘Yes it’s true these pictures I produced were the first test shots of Kate Moss after Sarah Doukas discovered her on the way back from holiday in JFK. Kate landed on my doorstep fresh up from Croydon during her half term break on October 26th 1988.
‘Today I am an actor, and passionate about my craft but I spent the late 80’s / early 90s printing images and taking photographs. In fact, since my teens I worked more for than 20 years professionally and I’m born of a family of photographers and artists going back to the 1930s in Dublin, Ireland. I still reserve the same passion for portraiture.
‘I have made portraits of a many actors and performers as well as models and I am addicted to exploring their character and to bringing out the best in them. It’s the search for the truth that inspires me.
‘When I met Kate and photographed her all those years ago, there was a unique sparkle to her which was bound to evolve into something special, although I had no idea how much at the time. I was very young myself and I just wanted to do my best for Sarah, her agent.
‘Today, these pictures are very special as they portray her at the absolute threshold of her life changing forever. They are very special to me as they mark unique moments in time and history and this is the first time I have ever printed them to present to the world.
‘I have the utmost respect and admiration for Kate and her wonderful success which is incredibly well deserved, while she has had to work hard from such a young age and learn very quickly. She has survived an incredible run of pressure to perform almost without relent. She has climbed to the top of her profession overcoming every obstacle.
‘When I met Kate and photographed her all those years ago there was a unique sparkle to her which was bound to evolve into something special, although I had no idea how much at the time’
‘Nobody can say she has had it easy that’s for sure and I can guarantee you it takes a certain character and stamina to endure what she has had to take on. As an actor I appreciate her artistry. Few people realise the depth of the role of a model and I find this very disappointing. The office dreamers and critiques have no idea what is expected of a professional artiste or model with no complaint and as far as I’m aware Kate has never complained.
‘I would absolutely love to meet Kate again. I would feel quite privileged in fact. Wow, just the thought of being able to ask her how much she remembers of our meeting and her first experience and what she remembers of her thinking at the time would be fascinating! To hear and understand from Kate herself, as opposed to the books and press we have both contributed to, voluntarily or not, and heard through, whether we’ve looked or not – to listen to the true extent of her journey from where she sat with me all those years ago, would be very special indeed.’
