Kate Moss’ famous younger sister, Lottie, has lifted the lid on their strained relationship, admitting they “don’t see eye to eye”. Photo / Getty Images
Kate Moss’ famous younger sister, Lottie, has lifted the lid on their strained relationship, admitting they “don’t see eye to eye”. Photo / Getty Images
Being in the spotlight comes with its fair share of speculation, and no one knows this better than Lottie Moss.
Known as the half-sister of 90s supermodel Kate Moss, Lottie is often painted with the same brush as her famed relative, with people assuming she is a “wild child”. And, for a while, she was.
The younger Moss, who is now sober, ended up doing a stint in rehab last year after alcohol and drugs got the better of her.
Now, the former model is speaking out in the hopes of showing the “real Lottie”.
“A lot of people have the wrong perception of me,” she told The Sun.
“One of the most common things people say when they meet me is: ‘You are so different from how I thought you would be.’”
Lottie, 25, has grown so accustomed to being misunderstood that she no longer lets labels like “nepo baby” upset her any more.
Lottie, who shares her father with Kate, was thrown into the modelling world at the young age of 13 after she was a bridesmaid at her supermodel sister’s wedding to now-ex-husband Jamie Hince in 2011.
Vogue published the snaps from the wedding and, at 16, Lottie was officially signed to a top model agency. The younger Moss went on to do photo shoots for the likes of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Dolce & Gabbana — and even shot campaigns with supermodel Gigi Hadid.
However, she battled being seen as “Kate Moss’ sister”, especially when the 24-year age gap meant the pair weren’t really close when growing up.
Lottie has previously hit back at claims she was a “nepo baby”, posting on Twitter: “I’m so sick of people blaming nepotism for why they aren’t rich and famous or successful — obviously it’s not fair that people who come from famous families are getting a leg up because of that, but guess what? Life isn’t fair — if you put your mind to something you can accomplish.
Jamie Hince and Kate Moss leaving St Peter's Church after their wedding on July 1, 2011, in Abingdon, England. Photo / Getty Images
“And [I] am privileged for numerous other reasons and, as I say, I am grateful for it all but s***ting on others because of it makes NO sense.
“Obviously I’m privileged being related to a huge model. I obviously am so grateful that I have had the opportunities I’ve had, don’t get it twisted.”
The social media post received fierce backlash and saw the model delete her Twitter account as a result. However, she still stands by her comments to this day.
“When people are like: ‘It’s only because she’s Kate Moss’ sister’ — I’m like, ‘Babe, if you were in the same situation, you’d do the same thing!’ You think you’d pass up Vogue, babe? Sure!
“I think a lot of people are angry that they didn’t get this opportunity.
“And I’m just like: ‘I’m sorry!’ But it’s not my fault that I got things they didn’t. I know a lot of people don’t have these opportunities and I’m so grateful for them.”
However, what critics of the model don’t realise is that Lottie and her older sister aren’t the best friends everyone assumes they must be.
Kendall Jenner, Anna Wintour, Philip Green, Kate Moss, and Lottie Moss during London Fashion Week in 2014. Photo / Getty Images
“Me and my sister have never been close. There is a big age gap. I didn’t grow up with my sister giving us money.
“We had a tiny two-bedroom house. My parents were bankrupt. I paid for my private school myself with the money I made modelling.”
Lottie clarified, though, that she doesn’t hold any resentment for her big sister.
“My sister has obviously struggled with things herself. She’s allowed to have that.
“She doesn’t have to want to have a relationship with me. When I was younger, I couldn’t understand it. I thought: ‘Why is someone in my family not wanting a relationship with me? I don’t get it.’
Lottie Moss (left) says she doesn’t hold any resentment for her big sister. Photo / Getty Images
“But now I’ve learned, especially speaking to other friends who don’t speak to their mum or dad, that family is complicated.
“Just because she’s a really high-end model, it doesn’t mean that it’s any different in our family. We just don’t see eye to eye on many things. I love her. She’s my sister, but we’re just not close. It is what it is.”
“I love Lila, she’s a sweet girl. We spent lockdown together [with Kate at her Gloucestershire mansion]. Me and her got closer. But she lives in New York now [where she is a model], she lives her own life.
“We text sometimes and I see her out and about. I don’t give her advice. I think my sister can give her modelling advice!”
Kate Moss and her daughter, Lila, at the 2023 Met Gala in May. Photo / Getty Images
Lottie admitted that while being Kate’s younger sister did get her foot in the door, it didn’t ease the struggle with the darker side of the modelling industry.
At the age of 18, the 5ft 5in model says she was told to slim down to a 23in waist and 30in hips. She was dubbed “ham and cheese sandwich girl” by modelling agents, after she was spotted eating one on set.
“I always had to be a certain way, with a certain waist size and hip size. I had a personal trainer and nutrition meetings. I wasn’t allowed to do things to my hair that weren’t approved by the team. I wasn’t allowed to date certain people.
“My life was very much controlled. I’d go to these fashion shoots and I’d be crying beforehand, then I’d do it and pretend I was happy. I didn’t know how depressed I was, because I’d pushed it so far down and covered it up with substances and alcohol.
Lottie has previously hit out at her “nepo baby” title. Photo / Instagram
“When I quit modelling in 2021, I had no agency telling me what to do.
“When you have that from such a young age, you’re then like: ‘What the f*** do I do now?’ I was so lost and I started going down a really bad path and hanging out with some really bad people.
“I look back at that person and feel so sorry for her. It got to the point where my best friend said: ‘This is breaking my heart. You need help.’
Last year Lottie checked into a treatment facility in Arizona, the United States, after her alcohol and drug addiction left her battling a bad case of anxiety.
She said she was now sober, though she still vapes.
“I’m really enjoying [being sober], but I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. I’m in a very happy place in my life right now, being very true to myself for the first time in a long time.
“When I started modelling, I was very naive and thought people were my friends, but they were doing things to better themselves or make money,” she continued.
“I have had a great life. But there is another side to it. There’s nothing in life that is all rainbows and sunshine. That’s why I’m very open about my substance abuse, rehab and my mental health. It isn’t all good.”
