The fashion industry may be glitz and glamor. However, there had been troubles behind the scenes amongst some of their brightest stars. We’ll be taking a look at the top ten leading fashion icons that had struggled with addiction at some point in their life.

If you or someone you know is dealing with addiction, it is important to read some of the stories involving some of the more famous fashion icons that had fought it at one point in their life. If you are seeking help yourself, you can find information on the Ascendant NY official website.

Let’s take a look now at the fashion icons that have fought addiction and whether they survived or lost their lives to it.

1. Gia Carangi

Gia Carangi made her way to the fashion scene in the late 1970s. Her addiction to drugs became a story that had made headlines and had been talked about for years. It began when she found out that Wilhelmina Cooper was diagnosed with cancer.

Cooper was Carangi’s mentor and friend and the two shared a special bond. Cooper would soon die from the illness in 1980. In 1983, Carangi was out of the fashion business because the bruises on her hands were considered a problem for her photo shoots.

Three years later, she was diagnosed with AIDS. She eventually died from the disease after a few months. Carangi was played by Angelina Jolie in a 1998 biopic based on her life.

2. John Galliano

John Galliano was a designer who worked with Dior for over a decade. He was fired in 2011 for his long string of controversies including making various anti-semetic remarks. He was treated for alcohol addiction and was believed to be addicted to other drugs such as sleeping pills and Valium.

He attended rehab and asked people to forgive him for his actions because he lost control. He is believed to be working for Maison Martin Margiela, a Belgian fashion company.

3. Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is a multiple award winning designer. However, he was also known for his drug addiction. He mixed what appeared to be a lot of medicine and other drugs, which caused him to commit suicide on the day before his mother’s funeral.

According to a forensic report, traces of cocaine and sedatives were found. It was also believed that McQueen was mentally ill and was often depressed or anxious. Even with his fame as a fashion designer, he was battling a number of issues including drug abuse and mental breakdowns.

He was skilled at what he did and was able to design things from sketch to finish. He was a one of a kind talent that will never be duplicated in the fashion world.

4. Kate Moss

Kate Moss was a popular model back in the early 1990s. She was considered the “heroin chic” kind of model. She worked for famous labels such as Gucci, Chanel, Calvin Klein, and others.

She had met Pet Doherty, a musician and tried her best to help battle his addiction to drugs. However, this backfired as she became addicted herself. In 2005, Moss was allegedly caught with cocaine and heroin, which led to her getting fired from two brands.

She would eventually break up with Doherty and begin her road to recovery. Because of the drug scandals, her reputation with the fashion industry took a nosedive. However, the late Alexander McQueen brought a holographic version of her to one of his shows.

5. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Rosie Huntington-Whitely went down the same path as Kate Moss. She quickly rose to popularity early on in her fashion career. However, she started doing drugs, which eventually led her to losing contracts to all brands she had worked for.

She was able to bounce back and make a return to the fashion business. Her and Moss’s firing from the fashion industry served as a painful lesson that drugs are frowned upon amongst the powers to be.

6. Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs was known for dealing with substance issues for much of his professional career. He was more into alcohol than drugs. However, he was in rehab both in 1999 and 2007 for a heroin addiction. When he was drinking, he admitted that he felt ‘taller, funnier, smarter, and cooler”.

He also had dealt with his share of struggles with self-esteem issues. Jacobs is considered to be one of the more familiar names in fashion. However, like many, he had his addiction issues brought to light.

7. Lara Stone

Lara Stone worked for many fashion brands including Versace, Parda, and Calvin Klein among others. In 2010, Stone admitted that she was dealing with an alcohol issue. She stated that she woke up and was shaking and then had Bloody Marys in the morning.

She added that she started feeling pathetic about it. Her alcohol addiction had also made her violent with various people for no reason. She finally checked into a rehab center in South Africa and called it “the best thing she’s ever done”.

8. Tom Ford

Another big name icon, Tom Ford was known for being a “highly functioning alcoholic” when he was working for Gucci for over a decade. However, he has since sobered up. He described that his life was out of control and was depressed all the time.

He said that now that he has quit, his life has since ‘fallen into place’.

9. Amber Valletta

Valletta made a name for herself in the 1990s with many European labels. However, she opened up about her drug and alcohol addiction in 2014. She said that when she was a child, she was looking for a way to get high and would sniff markers, fingernail polish, or anything that gave her a buzz.

In her 20s, she had already been addicted to alcohol and cocaine. However, she’s been sober for well over two decades. 

10. Naomi Campbell

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Naomi Campbell was a hot name in fashion. However, she was addicted to cocaine and her life was anything but glamorous. In 1999, she checked into rehab for her addictions.

She did an interview in 2005 stating that she never wanted to be in such a place again.