Kate Moss has admitted she is in denial about reaching the milestone age of 50 next year. The 49-year-old British supermodel rose to fame as one of the faces of the 1990s with more than 40 Vogue covers and stints as the face of major designers including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Calvin Klein. Last year, the mother of one announced the launch of beauty and wellness brand Cosmoss by Kate Moss. Reflecting on her 50th birthday next January, Moss told The Sunday Times: “I’m not turning 50. No. I’m not thinking about it. I do not feel 50.” Asked if she had undergone any treatments such as fillers or Botox, Moss – whose daughter Lila turns 21 next week and is also a model – said: “No comment. Au naturel. Next (question).” The supermodel also revealed she has left the party lifestyle behind, saying: “I’m not really into it. When I do go out I leave at midnight – that’s my cut-off. “After that (time) people start repeating themselves.” The Croydon-born celebrity says she now enjoys moonbathing, a practice of lying under the night sky to absorb lunar energy, and says she also “charges” her crystals under moonlight. Moss has also left London for west Oxfordshire, where she told the newspaper she goes wild swimming “in a secret place, in the middle of lots of fields and only the villagers are allowed to use it”. She revealed she still smokes “occasionally”, adding: “I’ve heard that when you stop, you can really tell (by your skin). But I haven’t stopped… yet.” Her new brand is based on her own wellness journey, with the Cosmoss website describing the company as offering “wellbeing for soul and senses” which focuses on “holistic self-care and mindful beauty sourced in nature”. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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How do you define “cool”? Maybe it’s ostentation. Maybe it’s exclusivity. Maybe it’s a 250-year-old orthopaedically inspired German shoe. In 2023, odds are it’s the latter. This week, it was announced that Birkenstock had landed on the US stock market with a $7.5bn (£6.1bn) valuation, more than double its worth in 2021. If you’re unfamiliar with these absurdly comfortable sandals, the classic “Arizona” Birkenstock features a layered sole made of jute fibre and moulded cork, offering your foot some serious support, with two thick suede straps coming in some sort of earthy hue. The brand itself dates back to 1774, when founder Johann Adam Birkenstock started making shoes near Frankfurt. But for a long time, the shoes themselves were the pinnacle of dorkiness. There was nothing chic about the geek connotations, either. They were just, to put it bluntly, a bit lame – often associated with exceedingly earnest, granola-eating American liberals, and dubbed everything from “Geekenstocks” to “Flintstone feet”. You get the idea. Today, though, Birkenstock sells roughly 25 million pairs of shoes a year, and the brand is seen on and celebrated by stars such as Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Katie Holmes and Sienna Miller. Some have even been spotted wearing them with socks, demolishing decades of jokes about a look once considered fashion’s cardinal sin. It all adds up to form the greatest redemption arc in footwear. But how has one company managed to pull off a complete 180, as if transforming a pumpkin into Cinderella’s glass slipper? “The German engineering that has gone into this product actually speaks for itself,” says fashion analyst and author of Look at the Labels, Jennifer Walderdorff. “There are no gimmicks: the shoe does what it says on the tin. Its reliability is what [makes it] a fashion staple.” It has not been a quick turnaround, though, its reappraisal starting – sort of – in the 1990s. Fashion fans may recall the famous photos of Kate Moss taken in 1990 by Corinne Day. They show Moss, then 15, posing topless on a beach in Camber Sands, smoking a cigarette in a series of shots that would later make her one of the most influential models and faces of her generation. But there is a small fact about the photos that often gets forgotten: Moss is wearing Birkenstocks in them. It took a little longer for the trend to catch on properly. In 2013, Oliver Reichert became the first person outside the Birkenstock family to run the company, and it’s his leadership that’s helped steer the brand’s perception. It was that same year, for example, that Birkenstock began making appearances on runways: Céline models wore blue fur-lined sandals inspired by the German shoe, while A-list stars including Naomi Watts and Ashley Olsen started wearing them out and about. That summer, American Vogue declared that its staffers had, against all odds, “fallen for the Birkenstock”, noting how “a bulky shoe is actually more flattering on the leg than you would think”. In the world we live in today, there is so much more room for fashion and function, hence the appeal of the Birk Jennifer Walderdorff, fashion analyst It’s from here that the humble Birkenstock began its ascent into the heart of the fashion zeitgeist. By 2017, there were designer collaborations, with Barneys New York partnering with the brand to release a limited edition line of pink fur-lined sandals. Collaborations followed with other brands including Opening Ceremony, Rick Owens, and, most recently, Valentino. But as the latest valuation shows, the brand found a new lease of life this summer. You could barely step outside your house without spotting a pair. As for what’s fueled this recent surge, we can look to the pandemic, when we forwent shoes entirely and got accustomed to putting our comfort above all else. When lockdowns were lifted, all of us re-emerged with a shifted set of sartorial priorities, with high heels falling further down the totem pole in terms of stature and status. Today, there is nothing trendier than having your feet close to the ground. What is particularly interesting about Birkenstock as a brand is that despite the constant movement of fashion trend cycles, the design of its signature shoe hasn’t changed. “Birkenstock has lasted so long and grown to be the super giant it is because of the awareness and availability of information on its benefits,” adds Walderdorff. “There are lots of clothing items that are no longer worn due to their detrimental effects on the body, like corsets, which realign your internal organs to no gain. Similarly, overwearing high heels contributes to foot deformities. In the world we live in today, there is so much more room for fashion and function, hence the appeal of the Birk.” The rise of “normcore” can also be attributed to Birkenstock’s popularity. Characterised by unpretentious, utilitarian and functional clothing, the trend lends itself to the aesthetic of an orthopaedic shoe. “Normcore” also provide Birkenstocks the air of new wave edge, the shoes slotting neatly into a look that has become particularly popular among east London hipsters – take one look at the Instagram meme account Real Housewives of Clapton (which parodies a very specific type of natural-wine-drinking, Perello olive-eating, east Londoner) and you’ll see what I mean. Fashion has also generally seen an exponential rise in flat shoes. According to the Lyst Index, the industry’s quarterly report ranking fashion’s hottest brands and products according to Google searches and social media mentions, the season’s must-have is the Maison Margiela Tabi, a split-toed Japanese-inspired loafer. In fourth place is the Nike x Martine Rose Shox MR4 Mule, a pair of Tory Burch mules came in sixth place, New Balance trainers in eighth. And what was in fifth place? None other than the Birkenstock Arizona, of course. Perhaps the final hurdle for Birkenstock was to align itself with the feminine ideal – a space previously occupied by stiletto heels. Now, though, changes in attitudes around feminism and how feminist ideologies can be expressed through a woman’s clothing and appearance – yes, feminists can wear makeup! – has created a space for Birkenstock after all. In fact, this formerly frumpy shoe is now being perpetuated as the bastion of femininity. Don’t believe us? Simply take a look at the hottest film of the summer. At the end of Greta Gerwig’s stellar Barbie, our hero (played by Margot Robbie) has undergone a major emotional transformation that has seen her find a sense of purpose and identity. Gone are the feet once permanently raised so that they were perfectly positioned for a pair of heels. By the film’s conclusion, Robbie’s Barbie is an autonomous figure, a woman epitomising everything about contemporary feminism. And that includes having feet that are flat. Her footwear of choice? Why, a pair of pink Arizona Birkenstocks. Read More The grown-up guide to getting ‘balletcore’ right The Barbie press tour has finally rescued Margot Robbie’s red carpet reputation Birkenstock sandals are Barbie-approved – these are the pink styles to buy now Taylor Swift’s jacket from Chiefs game hints at Travis Kelce romance From choppy bobs to fox red, 5 celebrity-approved hair trends for autumn How Taylor Swift’s style has evolved over the years

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Whether you have fallen out of love with running, or have always been curious about giving it a go, finding the right time to start can feel like the biggest obstacle to getting going. With the heat of summer behind us, and winter not fully on our doorstep yet, autumn could be ideal. Here, seasoned marathon runners share why right now is the best time to get into jogging… The weather is ideal Instinctively, you may feel it’s not the best time to start training as the weather begins to get colder and wetter, and the days get shorter. “However, the cooler temperatures can offer a range of benefits,” says Tahir Shams, founder of Tooting Run Club, who ran the 2023 TCS London Marathon. These include a “reduced risk of overheating and dehydration, and it supports increased endurance which is vital for longer runs”, Shams adds. Autumn training brings opportunities for different kit and environments, too. Marathoner and Human Disco Ball fundraiser Freya Morgan enjoys the change of weather. “I get to leave behind the sticky summer weather and busy parks and go back to fresh morning runs right as the sun rises,” explains Morgan, who recently completed a 200km run for Bail for Immigration Detainees. “In the autumn, I might still head out in a T-shirt and then as the weather gets colder, a long-sleeved layer, and then will take another long-sleeved top or jacket with me, and tie it around my waist or cram it into my hydration pack,” she adds. Kit could be cheaper Exercise kit is at its most expensive generally in January, when everyone and their mum is trying to tackle a new fitness goal! Getting in there a bit earlier and snapping up some end-of-season summer gear that’s on sale, before the new season’s clothing and shoes come in, may help you build a running wardrobe you love. If you look good, you feel good, after all. The race calendar If singing up for a race will help keep you motivated to keep running, starting in autumn could put you in a good position to take on a challenge in spring. Plenty of races happen as the seasons change from the cool of winter, with the London, Tokyo and Paris marathons all taking place in spring. Half marathons take place in cities across the UK in spring too, in locations from London to Inverness. Plus you’ll find plenty of 5k and 10k options. Creating a mood-boosting routine “In September, kids go back to school and the summer is over, so it is a kickstart for your health and fitness goals,” explains Ania Gabb, an ASICS Frontrunner who has completed more than 30 marathons. “Many people may want to get into a consistent fitness routine after the excess of summer and before the winter starts,” she notes. This can be especially important ahead of the dark days of winter, which as Shams notes, “can often feel like a gloomy time of the year… Endorphins released during running is a good way to banish the winter blues.” There’s less pressure than January Finally, it can particularly helpful for beginners to start in autumn – skipping the pressure of the new year. “If you are a beginner, autumn is a really nice time of year to pick up running. You are away from the pressure of January resolutions, and the crowds of the summer, and still have some fair weather days and sunlight to get you motivated,” says Morgan. “By the time the darker bits of winter roll around, you will hopefully be in enough of a running routine to use those runs to power through the dark and soggy days. I have been running for 11 years and when my mental health dips, running has always helped.”

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