After a car accident at 18, Denise never imagined she’d become so successful, but in our exclusive interview, her message was clear: never let anyone tell you you’re not good enough or that you can’t do things. You can achieve anything you put your mind to.

How did your career as a Kate Moss look-a-like begin?

I used to get asked to do this work a lot, but never thought I was good enough. I was a complete self-sabotager and had no confidence. People used to stare at me, and I automatically assumed it was because of my scars. I never thought I looked like Kate, even when people said I did. I worked in telecommunications at the time, doing office and project work, and while everything I’ve ever put my mind to, I’ve done well at, I was never truly happy. I spent 20 years holding myself back and not stepping out of my comfort zone because of my confidence issues, but when I had kids, I knew I had to show them what was possible. I couldn’t be a victim anymore. So, one day, I decided to start an Instagram account and play around just to see what would happen. The first job I ever did was terrible. I was sitting in a room with a David Brent look-a-like filming for ‘Lookalikes’ Season 2. I couldn’t speak or do anything! If I could go back now, I would smash it, but this was me stepping out of my comfort zone and edging my way into it. It was from this that I learned how to cover the scars up. There’s no magic pill that’s going to make you feel more confident; you’ve just got to keep putting yourself out there. In the early days, there was always that thought of “Oh no, I’m going to get absolutely slaughtered” and “I’m going to get laughed at, no one’s going to even recognise who I’m supposed to be.” I’ve never felt so exposed in my life. But you know what, I did it anyway, and look what’s happened since!

Being a Kate Moss look-a-like must come with some negative attention. How do you handle that?

Social media puts immense pressure on women to conform to unrealistic standards of beauty and youthfulness. Young girls are altering their appearance with fillers and chasing weight loss trends, which is so worrying. You need thick skin in this line of work. I don’t have a media team filtering my comments like Kate Moss might; I read everything myself and respond to as many people as I can. Negative comments don’t bother me anymore. It’s obviously nicer to read positive, supportive comments, but honestly, I don’t let the negative ones get to me.

What do you do when you’re not being Kate Moss?

I’m a bit of a recluse actually! I love being home. I quit alcohol a year ago, I used to think I needed to drink for confidence and to relieve my anxiety, but I realised it wasn’t true. Since I quit, my anxiety has disappeared. I go to bed early, clean the house, grow my own food, and spend time at the gym. I love the freedom of not caring about perfection when I’m at home.

Do people recognise you when you’re out and about?

In airports, I often get followed by people. To be more inconspicuous, I’ll often dress down. When attending events, I need to be Kate, but in my normal life, I don’t feel obliged to dress like her. I’m a look-a-like, not Kate Moss herself. Like this morning, I pulled out some jeans and a top and threw them on, I added heels and I was good to go. I didn’t overthink it, but people still look.

How did it feel being featured in Vogue?

Shooting for Vogue felt like a genuine career highlight. I’d never once considered that I’d ever be asked to do Vogue, I mean, so many people dream of one day being featured in Vogue, and there I was, little old me! The whole experience was flawless from start to finish, they took such good care of me, and I never once felt nervous or uneasy, even though I was wearing millions of pounds worth of jewellery! It was hard to believe I was going to be in Vogue at all, but then being featured across 10 pages, well that was just unreal. I’m not sure anything else I will ever do will come close to that experience.

How do you feel about becoming more successful as you got older?

The scrutiny older women face for simply ageing naturally is awful. I refuse to succumb to the notion that I should stop living fully just because I’m not in my 20s anymore. You’re never too old for anything, and age shouldn’t dictate your worth or limit your ambitions.

Have you ever done anything to your appearance to look more like Kate Moss?

No, apart from clothing, makeup, and some hair extensions, I’m just me! I do wear heels because I’m only 5ft 4, but I think changing your appearance to look like someone else can be dangerous. We need to embrace and love ourselves. At the end of the day, we all have our insecurities. Once I learned to let go, my whole life improved.

People say you’re a model. Do you agree?

People ask how long I’ve been a model, and I always say I’m not a model. I’m just required to model for look-a-like purposes. It’s like an alter ego that comes out when I’m in front of the camera or on a catwalk. It takes skill, knowing the light, the angles, and the camera. It all came with time, practice, and never giving up on my dream. If you keep pushing yourself to do things that make you uncomfortable, it gets easier. Don’t throw away opportunities because they scare you. My career wouldn’t have taken off if I’d been too afraid to try.

How do you maintain your body and health?

When I was 42, I felt like I started ageing dramatically, so I began weight training, using red light therapy, and taking better care of my skin. I wear sunscreen every day, even in winter. People expect perfection, but that’s unachievable. I want to age confidently. Food is everything. It’s the fuel for your body, and exercise is great for mental health.

Can you offer our POW readers one piece of advice?

You have to push yourself, get out of your comfort zone, stand up for yourself, and surround yourself with people who are good for you. Cut all the crap and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. The only limit you have is the one you put on yourself.