Fashion Models, The Homeless, and Cocaine

What do the homeless in downtown Louisville have in common with the world traveling fashion models of today? More specifically, What does my homeless friend Kerry Bell have in common with fashion model elite Kate Moss? Most would assume absolutely nothing. Kerry has no car, he walks everywhere he goes. He is not well known. He does not eat extravagant meals. He does not have a wardrobe. Kate Moss on the other hand travels the world, is famous, dines in NYC’s best, and earns about $9 million a year working with companies such as Chanel, Burberry, Christian Dior, Goria Vanderbilt and H. Stern jewelers. At first glance, they have seemingly nothing in common. Kerry usually stinks when you see him, Kate Moss probably wears the choicest perfumes. They do however have something in common...cocaine. Kerry who hasn’t been able to keep a job because of his addiction, is currently in rehab. The NY Times published an article yesterday reporting that Kate Moss had been dismissed from a planned advertising campaign with Europe’s largest clothing chain, H&M. The reason – her recent use of cocaine. Further news today indicates that other companies are dropping Moss as well. The article from yesterday is insightful on a number of levels which will be the topic of my next few blogs.