Model Turned Designer

To add to the files of "I never thought that would happen," Freja's trying her hand at designing jewelry for Danish brand Georg Jensen. The (interesting) news comes via WWD:

"Fans of Freja Beha Erichsen’s style will soon have access to a line of jewelry designed by the model for the Danish silver house Georg Jensen. Beha stars in the house’s just-released spring ad campaign. “It’s an exciting project. There’s a certain customer that relates to Freja and what she represents,” said Ulrik Garde Due, Georg Jensen’s president and chief executive officer. Featuring gold and silver pieces, the collection will hit the Scandinavian market and the brand’s website in April."

So not only is Freja fronting their ad campaign, she's designing their jewelry. Is there anything she can't do? It will indeed be intriguing to see how the jewelry pieces turn out, as we'll get to see Freja's aesthetic take on things. Will the pieces be minimal, clean and sleek? Or will Freja show us another side to her sensibilities?

What's even more interesting is what this move signifies for Freja and her career. Of course this could just be simple side project done to support a Danish brand. However, I have a sense this is just the beginning of Freja segueing into other things and slowly leaving the wear and tear of the catwalk circuit behind. All that traveling, fittings at all hours of the day, time changes and jet lag.....all of that takes it toll. And after nearly six years pounding the pavement, Freja has more than earned the prerogative to pursue other interests and projects. Fittingly enough, it does seem like a given that once a model reaches a certain level of establishment in her career, she'll try her hand at design. The list of model-cum-designer is almost too long to recall.

So maybe the missing showcard isn't all that confusing after all. Maybe it's just part of a larger picture that has yet to be unveiled to us. In any case, as long as Freja's still in the public eye one way or another, I'm sure all her fans will be happy. And as always, she'll give us plenty to talk about.

Out of the Running

Usually around this time of year, in addition to Chanel Cruise news, we start to hear about the Dansk Fashion Awards. But this year it's been unusually quiet in regards to the later. And that's because Freja is not nominated for Danish Female Model of the Year this time around. :(

After winning the award each year it's been handed out (twice so far), Freja will have to relinquish her title to one of the upcoming Danes spotlighted this year:

Amanda Nørgaard


Caroline Brasch Nielsen


Cathrine Nørgaard

As much as I love Freja, I think this is good for the Dansk awards. If you keep giving an award to the same person it kind of diminishes the point of having the award and voting process in the first place, non? And yes, Freja is by far the most recognizable, successful Danish model working in the fashion industry right now, but Denmark has some other great models too. So it's nice to see them getting their time to shine.

Amanda is quickly making a name for herself despite her short (by model standards) 5'8 1/2" frame. Her perfect proportions help, and so do the backings of Russel Marsh and Miuccia Prada as evidenced by her runway appearances at both Prada and Miu Miu. Factor in her gorgeously refined face, a personal style that's effortlessly cool with a hint of grunge, and a supposed booking in a major Fall campaign and you have a new Danish star in the making. Caroline is coming straight off a tremendous catwalk run in Paris, walking for only the very top of the top. Already shot by Meisel in this month's VI, and turning her attentions towards modeling full time come July after she finishes with school, you can bet on seeing her lovely face in all cities for SS11. And Cathrine...well, I don't know much about her at all. In fact, I know nothing. But she's quite the delicate beauty and perhaps we'll see her make her international catwalk debut soon.

It would have been nice to see Freja at the ceremony, if only to see if she'd dress up (ha!). But if she had been nominated along with Amanda and Caroline, I can honestly say that I wouldn't have known who to root for. All three appeal to me for different reasons, and this just speaks to the depth and quality of the models coming from Denmark right now. So hooray for the Danes. You're having a great moment.

Oh, and in case any of you actually care who wins this thing, the awards are being held Wednesday night.

Image Credits: elitemodelmanagement.dk, scoopmodels.com

Correction

I just wanted to do a little update on this old post. Freja was in a small feature about Copenhagen designers in the September issue of V Magazine. I noticed that the feature was styled and shot by her model friends Sheila Marquez and Christian Brylle, moonlighting as stylist and photographer respectively. I also saw the name Lasse Pederson next to the hair and makeup credits, and just assumed that was in reference to red-headed, male model Lasse Pederson.

Well, I was totally wrong and it's a case of common name. Lasse Pederson also happens to be the name of a Denmark based hair and makeup artist. Here is a link to his website where you can see pictures of his beautiful and natural work. If you're a fan of Mathias, Agnete and other Danish models, definitely check it out because you'll find them there. Sadly, no more Freja pictures; but when you can look at other beautiful things it's never really a sad situation.

Anyway, I hope you all are getting excited for Paris! You better savor it because it will all be over in about a week...until February when this craziness picks back up again. :)

With a Little Help From Her Friends

Besides showing up in a stunning editorial with Sasha in the current issue of V Magazine, Freja also shows up in a small feature on Copenhagen designers.

It seems like this shoot was a collaborative effort among Freja's circle of friends.

The photography was shot by male model Christian Brylle.

The styling was done by model Sheila Marquez.

And makeup and hair were done by male model Lasse Pederson.

Now, I'm not sure if it's really Lasse Pederson as in male model with red hair Lasse Pederson, or just someone with the same name. I tend to think it's the later, because I doubt male models are in the practice of moonlighting as makeup artists, but I could be wrong. After all, the whole shoot is all about Copenhagen, and Freja, Christian and Lasse are all Danish. You have Agnete Hegelund in there as well.

Regardless, it's nice to see Copenhagen fashion getting recognition. It's also nice to see the Danes coming together creatively. It must have been nice for all of them. When you can't go home, having home come to you is the next best thing.

Image Credits: my scan, jdvision.blogspot, fashionmag.com, uniquemodels.blogspot

Where It All Started

It's no secret that Freja absolutely loves her home country of Denmark. Her ties there run very deep as most, if not all, of her family and friends live there. I think Freja still lives there as well. It's quite rare for a top working model not to live in either New York or Paris. In fact, the only other model I can think of who doesn't live in either of those two cities is Lakshmi Menon, and that's only because I just saw her Vogue editorial that was shot in her hometown of Goa, India.

I've never been to Denmark, but it seems like a great progressive place to live, albeit a little too cold for my tastes. Did you know that it was the first country in the world to legalize pornography and grant same-sex couples nearly all the rights of marriage? Denmark also ranks very high in income equality amongst its citizens. It is one of the most peaceful countries in the world, and its people are some of the happiest in the world based on health, welfare and education. And if you weren't already super jealous of the Danes, their country is also one of the least corrupt.

Denmark's capital of Copenhagen also has a very vibrant and budding fashion scene, complete with its own fashion week. The average person might not know that Copenhagen fashion week exists, but fashion insiders definitely do. Furthermore, this is the city where Freja's fashion career started. She was scouted on the streets by Denmark's biggest agency Unique, and the rest as they say, is history. In a nod to Cph Fashion Week and Denmark, I'm posting some old backstage and runway pictures that I came across from the website of photographer Michael Hermansen. I believe these are all from the SS07 season.

It's always nice to see some of Freja's older work, isn't it? I hope she finds the time to walk in Cph Fashion Week again. And maybe we'll finally get that third installment of The Copenhagen Experience from Mads Nørgaard? If I keep saying it enough, maybe it will happen just like the Chanel campaign.

Image Credits: michaelhermansen.dk