Total shambles: The new clothing line from Pete Doherty (no, really)

Pete Doherty is truly a renaissance man. During his short but eventful spell in the limelight he has been known as a musician, poet, artist, lover, scuffler at airports, patron of the emergency services and junkie.

Yesterday, he revealed a whole new thread to his career. Shortly after his supermodel fiancée Kate Moss signed a contract to style her own range of outfits for Topshop, Doherty is to follow in her size six footsteps by becoming a fashion designer.

The singer - who has been in and out of rehab over the past year - has been recruited by the label Gio-Goi to create his own range of clothes. They will be launched next month and available through Selfridges. Rather incongruously, news of his appointment came in a solemn statement to the global newswire Reuters, better known for its expertise in finance and global cataclysm rather than fashion. Perhaps, like Doherty, it is branching out.

Doherty has already been the muse of fashion designer Hedi Slimane, and despite his often unkempt appearance has a keen eye on the cut of his gear, with sharp, slim suits being a signature look. He can, however, still be seen with a pair of faded jeans and a tatty T-shirt, accessorised with a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his lips.

Gio-Goi's co-founder Anthony Donnelly has not revealed if the Doherty range will mimic the singer's personal style, but announced that Doherty's look is also the inspiration for the company's spring/summer collection next year. "Pete looks fantastic as a model," he enthused. "We are very excited and we look forward to having Pete's influence as a rock icon in the design process."

He is not the first bad boy of rock to be associated with the Gio-Goi label, which grew up out of Manchester's illegal warehouse rave scene in Manchester in the late 1980s. Past clients have included bands such as Happy Mondays, Primal Scream, Oasis and New Order.

His adoption by the fashion industry will provide further cause for tut-tutting in the shires over the rewarding of celebrities for their bad behaviour. His girlfriend Kate Moss has, in the year since she had reportedly used cocaine, signed contract after lucrative contract. It was reported recently that the model has, in the period since tabloids lip-smackingly revealed her drug-fuelled "nights of shame", benefited to the tune of £30m from deals with Rimmel, Agent Provocateur, Calvin Klein, and Virgin Mobile. Last week she was named Model of the Year.

Doherty, who has battled addiction to heroin and crack cocaine, will launch his range at a Babyshambles gig where the singer will model his creations on stage, rather than the catwalk.

Gio-Goi said the show will take place in London before Christmas, but the details are secret. Anyone desperate for a quick look at what the creative partnership might have come up with need only click on the Gio-Goi website. The first thing that pops up is a large picture of Doherty wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with "Too Much Rock and Roll", a sneak preview of the range that is to follow.

DOHERTY STYLES

The blood lines

Provocative and eye-catching, the distinctive Doherty style combines trailing shirt-tails with flailing fists.

Shambles

The mood is subdued; the look is timeless, distilling the effortless cool of Cary Grant with the retro-style of Andy Capp.

Heroin chic

The look is elegantly wasted. The latest lines have revived of one of the best-loved themes in the rock'n'roll wardrobe.