Who says crime doesn't pay?
By Hilary Alexander, Fashion Director and Catherine Elsworth
Last Updated:
2:28am BST 27/03/2007
She was supposed to be paying her debt to society, but all the time Naomi Campbell was walking to work for her community service she was the one being paid.
Miss Campbell has never smiled so broadly nor looked so happy - and no wonder. Her
five-day community service sentence in New York has served as the basis of a fashion shoot for the magazine, W, the glossy monthly companion to Women's Wear Daily, which is regarded as the American "rag trade Bible".
Patrick McCarthy, the editorial director of W, said that the feature would run across about 20 pages in the July issue of the magazine.
"We're having great fun watching her every day, it's hysterical," he added.
"It's going to make a great story. We came up with the idea in a story conference and we got in touch with Naomi's people. She was very keen to do it, she thought it would be a lot of fun."
Miss Campbell has used the short walk from her chauffeur-driven limousine to the doors of the Sanitation Department's District 3 Garage at Pier 36 as a public catwalk, revealing, each day, a new ensemble carefully accessorised with the latest status sunglasses and must-have handbags.
Apart from the free worldwide publicity she has received, every step she has taken is money in the bank. Her agency, IMG, says her basic rate is between £25,000 and £30,000 per day.
News that the 36-year-old supermodel used what was supposed to be a punishment as a publicity and money making scheme has incensed New York.
Prominent New York lawyer Raoul Felder said yesterday that while there was nothing illegal about Miss Campbell's deal, the model's behaviour had "made a mockery of our system of justice and insulted every hard-working person in this city".
He added: "She's thumbed her nose at the system and it's sent the message that celebrities can get away with everything."
The daily fashion parade of designer label luxury, photographed by Steven Klein for W, as well as delighted papparazzi, has included fox and lynx jackets, cashmere knits, stretch trousers and spike-heeled patent leather boots at close to £600 a pair.
Many of the pieces she has worn are from autumn/winter 2007/08 collections and will not be on sale until August or September.
Miss Campbell, who has had a series of what the Americans would probably call anger management issues, was sentenced in January to five days of community service for the New York City Department of Sanitation after pleading guilty to
throwing a mobile phone at a former assistant.
Day one: £11,855 Ralph Lauren fit-and-flare cashmere coat, £2,645 Ralph Lauren cashmere roll-neck sweater, £525 Michael Kors knitted jogging trousers, approx £500 Christian Louboutin boots, £585 Ferragamo sunglasses, £135 Chanel cap, £250 Chanel J12 Chronograph watch, £7,225
Day two £5,028 Byte by Guiliana Teso fox jacket, £1,200 Ralph Lauren stretch trousers, £940 Christian Louboutin boots, £585 Donna Karan metallic sweater, £600 Borsalino hat, £63 Ralph Lauren python hold-all, £1,500 Alexander McQueen sunglasses, £140
Day three £6,050 Burberry leather coat, £3,500 Ralph Lauren cashmere turtleneck, £525 Roberto Cavalli wool skirt, £600 Bottega Veneta boots, £555 Louis Vuitton hold-all, £185 Document case, £200 Marc Jacobs sunglasses, £165 Proenza Schouler beaver felt hat, £320
Day four £6,242 Zandra Rhodes for Pologeorgius fur bomber, £4,100 J Brand jeans, £130 Etro blouse, £250 Chloe sunglasses, £1,370 Marc by Marc Jacobs boots, £380 NY Nicks baseball cap, £12
Day five £6,961 Hermès hat, £250 RayBan sunglasses, £96 Burberry silk/wool cardigan, £1,250 Gap trousers, £65 Vintage Yohji Yamamoto work boots, £300 Hermes canvas/leather hold-all, £5,000 diamond ear studs, £100,000 estimated at least Dolce & Gabbana couture evening gown, could be as much as £100,000
Total cost £236,136 -
estimate
Additional research: Natasha Cowan, Emma Seares
from the telegraph.co.uk
