Heroin Chic
The 1990s reshaped the female beauty ideal and sparked a global, unhealthy trend among young women. This shift was largely influenced by Vogue UK’s “Under-Exposure” from 1993, which featured a series of intimate photographs of Kate Moss, taken by Corinne Day.
In the images, the supermodel appears in her own apartment, wearing lingerie and loungewear, with messy hair and minimal makeup. Posing with a duvet wrapped around her and in front of a string of lights on the wall, the photos offer a glimpse into the casual home-wear of any young girl.
controversy
The images themselves were innocent, yet they still faced criticism for being inappropriate. Some argued that Moss looked far too young to be photographed in such an intimate setting. Others believed the photos promoted an unhealthy lifestyle and sent the wrong message to young people.
Moss was very thin, had pale skin with dark circles under her eyes, and messy hair. Many felt she looked like someone who had been out partying all night, and the photos quickly sparked associations with heroin users. This led to the rise of the controversial term “heroin chic.”
Romanticized rush
A trend was born, and young people began seeking a worn-out, messy look. At the core of this aesthetic was the pursuit of thinness. The desire to achieve Moss’s unattainable physique had both psychological and physical consequences for many girls.
It became so extreme that then – U.S. President Bill Clinton publicly commented on the trend, calling it “the glorification of addiction and death.”
When photographer Davide Sorrenti died of an overdose at the age of 20 in 1997, it served as a wake-up call. Davide Sorrenti was the brother of Mario Sorrenti—Moss’s ex and co-owner of the apartment where the photoshoot had taken place. His death drew major attention to the connection between addiction and fashion.
These events were key in bringing the “heroin chic” aesthetic to an end.