Thursday, September 23, 2010

Sense of Self

There are so many reasons why Freja is one of my favorite models. But perhaps the biggest reason I admire her is that she's attained extreme success all while seemingly staying true to herself. In an industry that pressures you to do and be a lot of things, maintaining a solid sense of self is a really difficult thing to do. I always get the sense that with Freja, it's no compromises. What you see is what you get. Any change that has taken place is the result of natural growth, progress and maturation. Nothing seems forced, and Freja doesn't seem like some modeling robot born and breed to walk catwalks. She's an individual and her uniqueness comes across so well, which is why I think her fanbase is so large and so devoted. For some reason, we all find something in her to connect and relate to. And that is what fosters loyalty and love.

Anyway, I was looking at some backstage pictures from Alberta Ferretti and those are what got me thinking along these lines. Take a look at what I mean. Here are pictures of all the other models coming off the catwalk:



And now here's Freja:



When I saw these pictures the contrast literally made me laugh out loud. But this is why I love her. She's so endearingly herself. Just because she's a model, arguably one of the most "feminine" careers one can undertake, doesn't mean that she'll act the way we all think models should act. She could care less if there's a camera around, and she doesn't need to wear a new outfit everyday in an attempt to fit our conventional notions of model style. Just a pair of black jeans, a soft tee and a black leather jacket and Freja's good to go. Whether she's on duty, off duty or caught off guard, you honestly get the sense that she is the way she appears to be, without pretense. It's this genuine quality that drew me in and served as my gateway into fashion in general. If you can believe it or not, before Freja I barely knew anything about fashion. Now it's a whole different story.

Even if I get frustrated with her work sometimes, and even if it seems like I'm a bad fan because I'm overly critical, Freja will always be special to me. She ignited my love of fashion and models, and she also anchors it closer to reality with her individuality and accessibility. I love discovering new models, but I think a part of that has to do with the hope that I'll find another Freja among all the newbies.....that I'll find another model who will get me excited and make me feel inspired for more than just a season. Impossible, I know. But I still hope for it nonetheless. I'm willing to bet that most of you out there have similar feelings and stories as well. :)

Image Credits: sonnyphotos.typepad.com

21 comments:

Mona Lisa Overdrive said...

The model who really inspires me the most has to be Anja Rubik. Before seeing her I had only been peripherally engaged in what was going on in fashion. Through her work I have gained insight into an industry that I never really much cared about. Just as Freja is to Rose Selavy, Anja is's my hero in the pantheon of the fashion Gods. I've been closely following her career since Early 2008 (when she cut her hair short) and love that she's risen the top echelons of the fashion industry. She comes from that mythical 2005 crop that includes Freja, Natasha, Vlada, Magdelena Frackowiak, Sasha Pivovarova, and Iekeliene Stange. It's hard to put into words how much she has inspired me not only in fashion, but in life.

Mona Lisa Overdrive said...

I like how you extrapolated on your feelings as to why you're attracted to Freja so much. I definitely get the sense that she's one of the few really cool girls out there that kind of fell into the business and are not really affected by it that much. For all of the girls in the world who are banging on the door to get into modeling, Freja is one of the ones who was never really into fashion before being scouted. Same with Iekeliene. They were just down to earth normal teenagers who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Anonymous said...

Wow u have no idea how much I relate to what you said in this post. Before freja fashion for me was really no big deal but after discovering her on the cover of that H&M magazine (u know the one with the Rome setting) i know so much. All of this through the freja medium. She is my inspiration. N I feel such feelings for no other model. I enjoyed reading this. ;)

Anonymous said...

She is my inspiration too!

angela said...

'If you can believe it or not, before Freja I barely knew anything about fashion. Now it's a whole different story.'
the same for me. thank you Rrose for making this blog. (i don't know how many times i have said that)
and.. yay! Freja walked for Prada :)

Skinny Bado said...

ONE OF YOUR BEST POST YET, IF NOT THE BEST. Am always thinking how forced models are now and acts all the same. No 'Wow'factor. Searching is good but freja is the one and only well, Freja! She may blend with other models with her always all black ensemble but her attitude is certainly unique. Love, love, love you her. But like you I google models and luckily I found someone unique and not at all conventional models - Tati! i would have wanted to make a FuckYeah blog for Freja but there are already devoted bloggers of Freja and my efforts might be put in vain so I thought following Tati Cotliar's career is also now my passion. you might want to check it out - http://fuckyeahtaticotliar.tumblr.com/.

Thank you so much!

Anonymous said...

She looks a little too thin there. Look at her sternum... Worried about her health :(

Kath [TTSH] said...

You said it girl...I'm still waiting for the next Freja even though I know there wont be one and I dont want either....Nice to hear it from somone else :P
BTW I've been following you for a while and I'm in love with this blog :D
Take a look at mine http://theytrysohard.tumblr.com/

yantomycin said...

THIS!!!! It is exactly how i felt about her. You speak the words out of my mouth rrosey.....thanks to you...and of coz to our Mighty Freja!!!

ps: holding my tears while reading your post.....

Anonymous said...

This is so true for me too! I wasn't interested in fashion before Freja. I was so intrigued by this model who was her own person, that I started looking for other models, in the hopes that I'll find out that other models are like her too.

Kel said...

I've been following your blog for quite some time now. But i never commented it 'coz i no longer use my blog, since i got tumblr that is lol Thing is, this post just me go aww, because it's exactly what i feel about her. Freja came into my life very discreetly, i cant even remember when i started to search about her and learn more about her shows and all. It was a natural attraction, because although i did loved some models before her (especially Aggy) i never felt this about those girls. And I still feel like no one will ever be like Freja. I also go to fashion spot and see these other models, but there's something so genuine about Freja that you can not find in anyone else inside that world. I can imagine being her friend, because of the way she deals with people, her music tastes, her life morals, that's what makes me want to know more and support her. It's like a new voice in such a superficial world. She embodies so many things and she doesn't feel like it's a burden, she's always so humbled by everything around her. Ok I think i should stop now. This is huge! Sorry, I just have to say, your blog is amazing, your doing a great job! Thank you :D

Anonymous said...

me too! I didn't care about models until I saw her. Freja's fans love her so much not because she's pretty and all but because of her personality, her dedication of her work and just her being Freja. She's an inspiration to be yourself in this world of wanting to be someone you're not.

Miranda said...

It's so funny (and endearing) how Freja's characteristic response backstage differs so much from everyone else's.

I can completely connect with both you (our lovely curator of this blog dedicated to Freja) and Mona Lisa Overdrive.

I had remotely no interest (or knowledge) of fashion before I set eyes on Anja and Freja. Now is a different story. They will always be my two favorite muses.

Unknown said...

H Rrose,
My name is Jesse Sulam, and being in love with this blog, I wanted to mention two things. Firstly; I wanted to say that I have been following Frejas career almost as long as this blog has been in existence, and as such; I want to offer my deepest gratitude for providing a current place where we can all get our fix ha. I live in Bozeman Montana; and as such especially being a gay young black man, I am definitely not surrounded by many people who are interested in fashion; much less models ha. Yet for me, it is places such as these that provide a window to the outer world; a world of avante garde art, style, and ultimately a sartorial community. Many of my friends think that I'm ridiculous for being obsessed with a "models" yet to me, fashion is a study in humanity. I find it fascinating because ultimately, I am fascinated by how we as humans express ourselves. Whether that be street beggars in India, or high fashion models such as Freja, I find the common thread of their inner world and workings express through a visual medium to be the same, and transcendentally beautiful... Therefore, I just wanted to say- keep doing what choooo do, and the rest will follow :)
Thank you SO much again;

Jesse

PS...Oh yea, the second note was that Freja was in an editorial with Mert and Marcus; It is one of my FAVORITE pictures of her EVER:::: considering it has a prop haha.

http://postimage.org/image/24bn4emp0/


-Regards-

Annie Wright said...

Freja keeps it real. But isn't she a little too skinny? Visible ribs are not a pretty look.

Anonymous said...

Hi Rrose, I started to read your blog around at the end of 2009 but have never left a comment here. it's just me that is not a kind of person leaving a message at a stranger's blog. But this entry (as if you read my thought) makes me write something to you.

I really love your blog. Like you, before Freja, I had no idea/interest about fashion. I knew some models' names before but didn't care about them. But I totally was struck by her tatoo "Float" and short hair which really set her off (btw I also love her straight long hair) at the first time I saw Freja on FTV. Then I started to search on her and follow her career. It's also when your blog came to me. I can say most the knowledge of fashion and Freja I've got comes from here.

Fashion is not meaningful to me without your blog, and of course "HER" :D. Thank you for this amazing blog.

p/s: I still feel kind of weird when leaving a comment here. It's just me anyway, don't worry.

L said...

I've decided to make a blog and I have to coment now, I followed your blog for years, Freja is definetely my fav model, and this is the best place to have news about her, no rumors of her personal life, only career, it's fantastic.
Thanks for your great work here.

JR Doyle said...

This is exactly how I feel about Freja, that's why I love your blog and read it everyday.

Rrose Sélavy said...

I'm extremely touched and honored to read all your comments. Sorry for not replying sooner, but I guess I was kind of at a loss for words. Thank you all for sharing your own thoughts, feelings and stories. This is the kind of stuff that gives me the energy to keep this blog going. I do this in my spare time, as a labor of love, but it's more for you guys now than it is for anyone else. So THANK YOU all! Thanks for making this place what it is, and for creating such a special little community. <3

Rrose Sélavy said...

@ Jesse: I tried to access your profile, but I guess you have it on private. Anyway, I wanted to tell you to keep your head up and you'll make it through alright out there. I could never imagine living out there in Montana, so I really admire your perseverance. You have true guts, and I'm honored to have you as a reader of this blog. Take care!

Anonymous said...

Uhmm I totally agree with you, thou, I dont really believe there would be another freja...