We always wonder how celebrity friendships really work. Is it mainly playdates carefully organized by PR teams in strategic, paparazzi-friendly locations? Or does Gwyneth Paltrow just have Beyoncé on speed dial, and sometimes she calls her and is all like, "hey B, let's go get martinis and smoke some American Spirits and watch the premiere of Breaking Bad tonight!" If you're Cara Delevingne, it's more like the latter. In the interview behind her very grown-up cover of W's September issue, fashion's current It Girl talks about some of the best advice she's ever received — not from her mom or sister and fellow model Poppy, but from the likes of Kate Moss and Rihanna. No big deal guys, just people helping people.
Though she's billed on the cover as "the anti-role model" and traditionally gives off a pretty powerful bad-girl image, Cara actually comes across as surprisingly innocent and sweet in this interview by Lynn Hirschberg. It's that innocence bordering on naiveté, plunged into the busy and high-pressure world of fashion, that led her to seek advice from such greats (whom, incidentally, she clearly regards as close, casual friends). When Delevingne suffered an unexpected outbreak of psoriasis before a Louis Vuitton show, Moss herself saw makeup artists struggling to cover it up. She stopped in her tracks and said "this is horrible! Why is this happening? I need to help you." And she did: "She got me a doctor that afternoon; Kate gives really good advice.”
And recently, while on a trip to Paris surrounded by couples and feeling like a lonely, perpetual third wheel, she turned to one of her many pop star friends for help. “I called Rihanna. She said ‘It’s easy to drown yourself in work. That’s a form of escapism. So, if you’re alone and you want to cry, cry.’ And I did. But by then, it was time to leave and get back to my life.” And, in her own words, her life is going just fine. While she's aware that she's quickly developing a rebellious image (one that's already led to some professional repercussions), Delevingne says she knows how to take care of herself. All in all, a very enlightening interview, and one that paints this young star in a more forgiving new light. Oh, and by the way, Cara — happy birthday! (W)