London, Nov. 3 (Reuters): Supermodel Kate Moss, at the centre of a cocaine scandal just over a year ago, has won the top accolade in British fashion, but the award has divided opinion and stirred fresh controversy over the celebrity.

The Model of the Year prize at British fashion’s answer to the Oscars late yesterday sealed Moss’s recovery from a newspaper story that briefly threatened her career.

In September, 2005, photographs of the 32-year-old model apparently snorting cocaine appeared on the front page of British tabloid The Daily Mirror. Since then, “cocaine Kate” as she was dubbed has returned to the pinnacle of her profession and she was not charged over the allegations.

Some commentators and drug charities are concerned over what the award says about fashion.

But fellow models and celebrities have defended Moss, pointing to her commercial success and her willingness to apologise for her behaviour.