Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The Year of the Smile?

Is 2011 going to be the year of the smile? Things seem headed in that direction so far. Three ads in a row now have showcased Freja's radiant smile.....something we didn't get to see much of at all last year save for Harry Winston. And that only came towards the end of the year. Maybe everyone else is getting tired of the same old stuff too (all the toughness, androgyny, rebelliousness), so it's not just me and the few of you who've agreed with me in the past. Or maybe it just took the surprise of the HW ads for more people to realize that "Hey, Freja can smile and she's actually really infectious, effusive and beautiful when she does." Maybe people want to be happy when they see ads because the world is depressing enough as it is. Geez....who would've thought? What a novel concept, right?


We all know that fashion triumphs change, and perhaps this is merely another change in Freja's image--a new phase of her career if you will. Maybe it's a sign that she's isn't going anywhere after all. If there's one thing that Freja and her image makes know how to do, it's how to make her stay relevant. From new girl with the fringe, to rebel girl with the tattoos and short hair, to indefatigable veteran who oozes a calm coolness, to woman with confidence and joy. She's done it all, and the fact that she's done it all makes her still so relevant today.

The rest of the Valentino S/S 11 campaign is below, shot by David Sims. Not too much to say here. Similar to last season's, but a bit more refined, clear and focused on the new house message. It's pretty amazing to think that a "punky" Dane known for her tattoos and tomboyish image is the new Valentino woman now. :) Change can happen and it's up to us whether we want to embrace it or not.




Image Credits: scans via tFS members style_expert, rox_yr_sox, valentino.com via tFS member candlebougie

7 comments:

Miranda said...

If it's the year of the smile, I welcome it. Freja's smile is absolutely radiant and beautiful. That's an understatement, but I could never say enough about that.

Adriana said...

Well they did conceal her tattoos in the Valentino campaign so it's not like they fully embraced her image!

Mona Lisa Overdrive said...

I love love love this campaign! The photography and styling is much to my liking. Perhaps we can attribute the recurrence of Freja's smile to her new found status as the creme de la creme of the fashion world? Having solidified her status as a top model, it might be fair to say that she's earned enough money to live a comfortable life and not have to work anymore. Not too many models can continually secure contracts for major campaigns season after season, and for that matter make it look so easy. I have a sneaking suspicion that she's smiling (laughing) all the way to the bank. :)

Siru said...

I'd like to see her smily / girly side again!

juliet xxx

Anonymous said...

Love love love this year of the smile.:)) It is quite interesting to have 3 different campaigns showcasing a giggly-happy Freja.. and all in 1 month! Is this a new fad in the fashion industry? Are there other campaigns showcasing happy girls?

Skinny Bado said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
balletomane3 said...

I saw that video at Valentino a couple of weeks ago and I managed to take some good snapshots of it. THis isn't easy as they keep having the camera be out of focus, then in focus for like only a second. Or they are jumping from scene to seen every couple of seconds. I thout the video was fantastic.