Critics praise Kate Moss range, items go on eBay

LONDON, May 1 (Reuters) British supermodel Kate Moss won glowing early reviews for her new clothing range today, helping to offset some barbed criticism of the designs in the United States.

Further underlining her popularity in Britain, buyers unwilling to join scrums at Topshop stores nationwide today when the range went on sale were logging on to online auctioneer eBay to snap up their favourite items.

Fashion experts were quick to point out that the collection of about 50 designs, ranging in price from (24-390 dollars), may well have been inspired by Moss more than actually designed by her.

''She has fulfilled every teenage girl's dream by letting them loose in her wardrobe,'' wrote Jess Cartner-Morley, fashion editor for the Guardian newspaper.

''Instead of aiming for a high-concept album, she has simply issued the Greatest Hits of Kate.'' Hilary Alexander of the Telegraph said those who questioned Moss's input were missing the point.

''What the public want to buy into is a little of the magic and allure that is Kate Moss's individual style. That is exactly what she is giving them,'' she said.

In the United States, where the Topshop range goes on sale soon, the reception has been cooler.

The New York Post ran a recent story under the headline ''Duplikate'' and added: ''The line she's delivered for the British chain Topshop ... looks like Kate copying a lot of other people's stuff Kate's worn before.'' New York magazine, which wrote scathingly about Moss and her sometimes controversial private life, summed up the collection which it viewed online in a single word: ''snore''.

3 MILLION POUND GAMBLE Philip Green, Topshop's billionaire owner, has paid Moss a reported 6.01 million dollars to design clothes for his stores, which have won a reputation for putting high fashion on the high street but at affordable prices.

A crowd of several hundred people, and dozens of cameramen and photographers, outside the flagship store in London late yesterday for the Moss launch was evidence of her popularity.

One of the world's most photographed women, she has been credited with inspiring fashion crazes like skinny jeans.

Scandals involving allegations of drug abuse and her relationship with troubled rock singer Pete Doherty appear to have helped her career rather than hindered it.

''She's got a really cool look, and she is also from southeast London so we can relate to her,'' said Daisy Taylor, a 15-year-old who came straight from school to join the queue snaking around Topshop yesterday evening.

For the less motivated shopper, eBay offers an alternative.

Early today dozens of items from Moss's new range were on sale, including a pansy print dress which had attracted 21 bids of up to 101.50 pounds, more than twice its retail price.

REUTERS KD HS1640