What do Kate Moss and Madonna Have in Common?

On May 8, Barney's New York will be the only store in the United States to offer a limited edition line for Top Shop designed by style icon and model Kate Moss. Moss is slated to make a public appearance in New York on the same day, according to Fashion Week Daily. The collection will be displayed at Barney's CO-OP, the trendy offshoot of the luxury department store in NYC.

Model and Top Shop designer Kate Moss.

Moss, model Milla Jovovich and singer Madonna are part of the trend of non-designers taking on low-priced fashion for retail outlets. M by Madonna, a line that debuted in H&M stores three days ago, is said to "capture her unique style." At a recent event, Madonna wore a $35 dress from her collection. But she did not carry the $34.50 metallic bag from her H&M line - she held a Dior clutch, according to the Independent.

Much like Opening Ceremony's role in bringing Proenza Schouler's line for Target to the heart of NYC, Barney's will provide city fashionistas with the Moss line they would have to visit the UK to buy. But the difference lies in the designers. Low-priced lines have given designers a way to increase awareness of their brands beyond the luxury fashion world. Karl Lagerfeld has done it. Stella McCartney has done it. And now Kate Moss is doing it. While this is great publicity for celebrities that may be falling off the media's radar, the allure of limited edition "designer" lines may fade if these lines become saturated across urban America.

Jacobs in Rehab

Fashion designer Marc Jacobs entered a rehabilitation center on March 12, just shy of fashion week. Jacobs' three fall shows, Marc by Marc Jacobs in London, Marc Jacobs in New York and Louis Vuitton in Paris, were well-received by the fashion industry. Critics welcomed his narrow silhouettes and claimed that the stray from heavy layers reflected his own change in physique. As I wrote during London Fashion Week, he received a lot of press for showing his younger line and opening a boutique for the first time in London. Clearly a lot of attention has been placed on Jacobs for the past month.

On the same day as his rehab announcement, the Council of Fashion Designers of America nominated him for two upcoming awards, in the womenswear and accessories categories. The deliberate choice to release the rehab news at the same time was a smart PR move by Marc Jacob's in-house department and KCD Worldwide. The media loves the rehab story, and this forced them to shift the focus back to his accomplishments in fashion.

Jacobs after his Fall 2007 show in New York. Photo: Style.com

Jacobs is open to the media about his past problems with drug and alcohol abuse, but has been sober for seven years, according to his business partner Robert Duffy. It will be interesting to see how his PR department handles the issue as he progresses.