There’s Lila Moss with a robot dog. There she is splashed across every newsstand, wearing a million barrettes or Barbie limbs in her hair or channeling Penny Lane in a pseudo ’70s fit. Her debut on the cover of Vogue Italia at age 13 (alongside her mum) launched the model into the public eye, and since then she has walked for Miu Miu, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Chloé, Bluemarine, Versace (the list goes on) and is face of YSL Beauty. She’s young, beautiful and savvy. Forget oyster, the world’s her entire seafood platter.
There’s no denying the weight her name holds — she’s the daughter of Kate Moss and Dazed Media co-founder Jefferson Hack — but Moss’s style and self-awareness feel as cultivated as they do inherited. She’s so composed that you forget you’re speaking to a 21-year-old. She talks about books with the same enthusiasm as an item of vintage clothing. Her choices are deliberate and measured. Moss, who has Type 1, famously rocked her insulin pump on the runway, normalizing the reality of diabetes. While given the key to a cultural empire, Lila Moss has certainly found her own door. She is a figure fully defined by her own evolving taste, intellect, and presence within an evershifting fashion landscape.
Moss speaks candidly about her personal style — leaning into minimalism day-to-day while embracing play in the extravagance and excess of haute couture. We catch up over DMs as she preps for fashion month and her 22nd birthday.
WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM Empire State Building cut-out dress.
@madelinecash: Where in the world are you rn?
@lilamoss: I’m in Nyc where we shot this story
@madelinecash: How was it??
@lilamoss: it was amazing!!! we had so much fun playing dress up and it felt like friends all hanging out, we had some great looks and i was really excited by the hair and makeup we did
i just left the house to get a matcha and it was raining but
honestly a nice change from the heat
@madelinecash: Matcha over coffee?
@lilamoss: 100%
@madelinecash: Okay got a few questions for ya: How would you describe your personal style? Are there any specific phases that you look back on fondly—or cringe at?
JUDY TURNER tank top and biker short; stylist’s own arm warmer and socks; vintage BRUNO MAGLI peep toe shoes courtesy of The Realreal; YVES SAINT LAURENT Candy Glaze lip gloss stick in 10 Red Crush.
@lilamoss: I would say my day to day style’s pretty casual, I defifinitely lean more towards the girly side when it comes to dressing up, I love a skirt or a dress but I prefer a more minimal silhouette. Which is why it’s so exciting that I get to do this and play dress up with these super fun and colourful clothes because then I see myself in them and I’m like ooo maybe I should try this.
I used to love a legging and a grey jumper, i think i wanted to dress like my mum but i had a phase where it was all about the isabel marant wedge sneaker and leggings which is so funny to see them coming back now because i didn’t take them off from age 10-13
@madelinecash: Totally, it can kinda feel like cosplay, in the best way
What’s your fashion week agenda!!
BURBERRY ruffle paisley dress; stylist’s own waffle knit top.
@lilamoss: it’s 11:11 sorry was just making a wish my fashion week agenda is pretty lowkey in nyc i’m runningvaround doing fifittings and things for stuff later in the month and fun things like shooting this! and then a couple of dinners but mostly catching up with friends while im back here for a minute and then going back to london and then paris
@madelinecash: Fave slept on NYC spot for dinner with a friend
@lilamoss: oooo i love a ramen place called raku and i never see anyone talking about it…im always getting tik toks for restaurants in nyc but i feel like visitors wouldn’t know about it uno
@madelinecash: Hell yea love a good ramen place. What’s your ultimate comfort food?
@lilamoss: definitely not popular here so i have to have it every time i go home
@madelinecash: I love an English breakfast too — hard to get here
@lilamoss: definitely not popular here so i have to have it every time i go home
LOEWE embroidered dress; vintage MANOLO BLAHNIK mules courtesy of The RealReal.
"It's 11:11 sorry was just making a wish"
now?
DSQUARED2 vest and pant; THE ROW sandal heel.
@lilamoss: I think social media has the ability to help small designers and creators to reach a wider audience and it can be a really useful way to market and grow your individual brand which makes it exciting to see small creatives emerging and getting recognition from people worldwide just through social media but i think inevitably social media feeds off of validation and instant gratification which as humans we can’t help but crave and as far as retouching apps and filters the technology is only advancing and they’re only getting better but i do think people rn are craving a realness and rawness on instagram which is changing our relationship with it and i see so many more people challenging the ‘ideal perception of beauty’ so i think it can be really empowering when we don’t feed into the illusion of it all
@madelinecash: Great answer, agreed. I mean imagine an instagram that didn’t let you edit or retouch photos
CHANEL washed denim jacket; vintage LEVI’S 501. jeans; ARAKS bralette and underwear.
@madelinecash: What do you pair with?
@lilamoss: i honestly love with the white jeans but could be done so many ways
PRADA knit, cardigan and skirt.
“I used to want to be a teacher because i was really bossy”
@madelinecash: In an alternate universe where modeling doesn’t exist, what career path do you think you’d be on?
@lilamoss: I used to want to be a chef when i was younger and i love cooking but i don’t do it enough so im not super confident in the kitchen, I also used to want to be a teacher because i was really bossy so i would honestly love that but realistically maybe writing or taking photos
MIU MIU denim jacket and jeans.
@madelinecash: Favorite thing to cook?
@lilamoss: i love a simple soy glaze salmon with rice and greens or banana bread is always fun
@madelinecash: Yes Chef Moss!
Re: being a writer — in an alternate Lila universe, what do you like to write? You mention to British vogue that you’d just finished A Little Life. Are you a fan of literary fiction? What’s on your shelf?
@lilamoss: i would love to write fiction, poetry also articles too
i just read in cold blood which i loved i also read some of eve babitz books for the first time recently, next up is sex and rage which i’ve heard raging reviews about so i’m excited
@madelinecash: Check out gary indiana in that vein
Are there any figures outside of fashion — art, or other fields — that you look up to for inspiration?
@lilamoss: On the topic of writers definitely patti smith
CHANEL reversible silk satin dress.
@madelinecash: Sorry I just spilled coffee all over myself Matcha is looking better and better speaking of lol how do you manage stress?
What’s your strategy for dealing with awkward situations?
@lilamoss: nooo i’m sorry!!! but i think matcha stain is worse than coffee
@madelinecash: True
RABANNE fringe tie-front crepe tank top.
“I wanted to dress like my mum but i had a phase where it was all about the isabel marantvwedge sneaker and leggings.”
@lilamoss: managing stress i would say i just try and stay organized so i don’t get overwhelmed if there’s loads to do and find time to do something for yourself even if it’s just listening to your music awkward situations is hard i think a lot of the time i just try to stay calm and not get too in my head about it but otherwise i just lean into the awkwardness haha like let it be awkward it’s not the end of the world
@madelinecash: Re your music: I feel like the art we engage with can be a marker of our personal growth. You tell DLC (who I last interviewed for this cover!) about your ‘Girl’ playlist. Has it grown or evolved since then? What will be on your ‘Woman’ playlist?
@lilamoss: haha yes it’s definitely grown it’s a lil mix of things that make me feel girly or describe being a girl really well so we now have some sabrina carpenter on there and the whole of billies new album and then the most recent add is jesse jo starks new song billie don’t be so mad which i love Honestly the Woman playlist will be interesting i think it’s a complete reflection of who you are in the moment and the music that’s defining it so i can only imagine but on every playlist there’s always some classic rock n roll so i think one that will go from the girl to woman playlist with me is dancing barefoot but patti smith
MIU MIU coat and shoes.
@madelinecash: My mom always said to come of age you have to run naked into the ocean. This feels similar
@lilamoss: I love that
@madelinecash: Your birthday is coming up, right? Any plans?
@lilamoss: yes hehe! 22 feels pretty boring and i had a big 21st so i think im gonna lay low but my birthday is always around paris fashion week so im gonna be there maybe have a small dinner with friends but nothing planned yet
@madelinecash: I hope it’s fifilled with banana bread and Patti smith 22 is a great year
Angel numbers
@lilamoss: trueeee 🪽🪽
MARYAM NASSIR ZADEH silk blouse; vintage JUNYA WATANABE shorts courtesy of The RealReal; SARAH APHRODITE custom velvet fan bag.
"Lila" by Nick Sethi in HommeGirls Volume 12
Makeup Marcelo Gutierrez using YSL Beauty
Hair Dylan Chavles
Casting The Establishment
Production Shay Johnson Studio