Moss underlined her durability in the notoriously fickle world of fashion on Friday with a commercial for phone operator Virgin, just three months after a cocaine scandal threatened her career. REUTERS/Toby Melville

LONDON (Reuters) - Supermodel Kate Moss underlined her durability in the notoriously fickle world of fashion on Friday with a commercial for phone operator Virgin, just three months after a cocaine scandal threatened her career.

The 31-year-old was dropped by several fashion houses after pictures allegedly showing her snorting cocaine appeared in a tabloid in September, but since leaving a drug rehabilitation clinic the following month she has launched a comeback.

"Kate Moss is an icon," said James Kydd, brand director of Virgin Mobile.

"We are thrilled that she has agreed to appear in our latest commercial," he said in a statement, which added that the advertisement will feature Moss poking fun at her own public image.

The advertisement, which first appears on British television on Christmas Eve, includes a rare speaking role for Moss, who has adorned countless fashion magazine covers in her 17-year career as a model.

Moss, who has a 3-year-old daughter, has also just appeared on the cover of French Vogue, one of fashion's most prestigious publications, with the title "Scandalous Beauty".

She was made guest editor-in-chief for the latest issue, a decision that was made in the summer but which the magazine honoured despite the scandal. It is issuing four different covers of the December publication, all of them featuring Moss.

Moss, whose gaunt features ushered in the "heroin chic" fashion style of the 1990s, did not admit to the cocaine allegations made against her, but did issue a short statement after the scandal broke apologising to people she let down.

The allegations prompted British luxury fashion house Burberry and Swedish-based fashion retailer Hennes and Mauritz to sever ties with one of the most famous faces in fashion, raising doubts over whether she could continue a successful modelling career.

France's Chanel also said they would not renew their contract with her when they expired.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White in London and Caroline Brothers in Paris)

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