I never met Davide Sorrenti, but I know his mother, the photographer Francesca Sorrenti.

When I was editor of German Cosmopolitan we hired her for a fashion story to be shot in Venice, Italy; she borough her youngest son, who was suffering form a genetic disease, that came and went in waves. At that certain time, late autumn of 1996, Davide was in a bad condition, so Francesca wanted to have him close by her side.

By then, Davide Sorrenti, had quite made a name himself as a young photographer, covering the hip skater scene of New York as well as fashion and models, especially his own girlfriend, the model of the moment, James King as she was called back then. And just like his brother Mario Sorrenti started his international career a a photographer by taking those very special pictures of his girlfriend Kate Moss, Davide and Jamie became an item in the fashion world.

It was the area of the "waif" - this new ultra-slim, if not boyish body type that followed the area of supermodels-bella-figuras, with perfect modeled breasts, small hips and long legs. And as those new girls also led a new lifestyle of drinking, smoking, going out and never hide any of these "bad girl habits", people started to talk about their conditions, drugs became an issue.

When Davide Sorrenti died early 1997, the editor of "Interview" magazine, Ingrid Sischy, nailed the term "Heroin Chic" when speaking at the funeral; because Davide calmed himself down with heroin during his last year, and there were rumors of many more girls and boys, before the camera and behind, who were using drugs to compensate their lifestyles.

At German Cosmopolitan we discussed for hours, how to deal with the situation - what would be a meaningful way to do a decent fashion story, but also deal with those sad facts?

And maybe even change something about the hypocrite way, the fashion world preferred to close eyes instead of offering help - as long as the model or the photographer makes enough money.

We came up with the idea of as fashion story, portraying the very young, already successful models, that belonged to this "endangered species", because they were cool, urban, different.

And we asked Francesca Sorrenti to do it.

So we found ourselves in Milan and Paris that very spring season, going backstage and asking the girls to participate. All of them knew Francesca and had known Davide, but a lot of them still did not want to be on a cover with the line "Lasst uns leben - let us live". But most of them did.

We got James King for the story, Karen Elson, Bridget Hall and Alek Wek - and as I could talk my generous publisher into a fold-out-cover, we even had six more girls to show; they all appeared inside the magazine, wearing fashion of the new season and also giving interviews, telling their personal stories about the challenges and temptations of their jobs.

I then went to New York to edit the story and the cover with Francesca Sorrenti in her loft/studio at 16th street - and for the first time, my favorite way of story telling as an editor succeeded. Showing the bright sides of fashion and beauty and still talk about the dark sides as well. Francesca was the perfect partner in crime for that project - because she is never afraid and very strong, but still full of love and the most sensitive artist.

So I was excited to hear about the movie she helped produce about Davide´s life "See Know Evil" for Amazon and also the new book, that just came out.

Published by the Sorrenti Family and the British publishing house Idea.ltd., Francesca Sorrenti presented it last weekend at Dover Street Market in London - I was very sorry to have missed my favorite mother on the planet. But I will get the book.

And I keep the memory of Davide - until today his polaroid is always with me. Reminding me of one of the finest spirits we had in the fashion world. Just by far not long enough...

All pictures taken by the book, movie poster and trailer courtesy of Amazon