Random Bits: Royal Wedding Edition

-I know this isn't Freja related, but damn! How beautiful was that dress? And how absolutely, stunningly, breathtakingly gorgeous did TRH Catherine look!? I'm not one to buy into wedding hype at all, but I couldn't help but to get swept away in the emotion and significance of it all. Yes, I got up early to watch. Yes, I teared up a bit (much to my surprise). Yes, I'm ready for a nap.


-More details about Freja's second consecutive Harry Winston campaign have surfaced. According to WWD:

"In May, Harry Winston is set to launch a new diamond, platinum and yellow gold collection, Lily Cluster, inspired by a Forties floral motif pulled from the company’s own archives. The news here: It’s the first time the company has offered designs in flaxen hues — aside from the occasional special request — since the Nineties...........The Lily Cluster ad campaign, shot by Patrick Demarchelier, will feature Freja Beha Erichsen."

You can see these new jewelry designs in the campaign shot I posted here.


-Freja will be part of the grand, multi-girl editorial for VP's August photographed by Inez and Vinoodh. The week long shoot is taking place in Los Angeles right now, and Inez and Vinoodh have been tumblr-ing candid shots of models all week long. However, the candid of Freja comes from another source (by way of 50mmf12l.tumblr.com):

So far the model lineup for this shoot includes: Lara Stone, Anja Rubik, Arizona Muse, Isabeli Fontana, and Raquel Zimmermann. So basically, all the big guns. If you'll recall, Freja was also included in the editorial for last year's August issue shot by David Sims. She also happened to land that cover. So maybe she'll get a cover shot once again? (Though I think it's high time for a cover to go to Raquel.) In any case, it seems like Alt isn't straying out of her comfort zone in terms of model choice. That's a good thing if your favorites happen to be her favorites. It's not such a good thing if you were hoping to see new and fresh faces (cough Aymeline cough) in the pages of VP.


Now off I go to find super HQ detail shots of that dress.....!

Tangential News

Here are two news bits indirectly related to Freja. I normally don't post about stuff like this, but I think both bits are pretty important and could potentially impact Freja's future projects.


-Model Whispers broke the news earlier today that Steven Meisel is shooting this year's Pirelli calendar. He's already booked Anna Selezneva to star, giving us good reason to believe he's favoring a more high fashion girl instead of the expected VS/Sports Illustrated bombshell type. (Good news for Freja and flat chested models everywhere...lol) Now that Freja and Meisel are regular collaborators, maybe we'll see Freja in the calendar again this year. We'll have to wait until more news is leaked, but her chances are as good as anyone else's. From always being stereotyped as the androgynous tomboy, to possibly (hopefully) two appearances in the Pirelli calendar? Transformation and career 180 indeed.

EDIT: Apparently now it's Mario Sorrenti. Ugh, this is why I usually stay away from news posts. Boo.


-Fashionista reports that Alex White is leaving W Magazine. It's still a rumor, but if it's true I'll be disappointed for sure. WWD has confirmed it. :( Freja and Alex have worked a lot together, going all the way back to 2005 with this editorial (the second one by M&M). In addition to styling nearly everything that Freja has done for W (including this beautiful gem), she has also styled Freja's Chanel campaigns. It's a pretty big shake up, though perhaps not entirely unexpected. (I think Enninful replacing her is unexpected, but very exciting.) There have been lots of changes at W since Tonchi took over, and rumors of Alex leaving have floated around before. I just thought this was interesting seeing as how Alex and Freja work together quite a bit. So with this news, and news that Carine is taking over styling duties for the upcoming Chanel campaign, I'm not sure where things stand now or if any of this even really matters for Freja. But it's interesting nonetheless....at least to me it is. Tell me I'm not the only freak who's more intrigued by behind-the-scenes wheelings and dealings than I am by simple editorials. I can't be the only over-analyzer, right? ;)


So that's it for now.....like I said, tangential news to Freja, but news still worth paying attention to if you're intent on tracking her career options.

Random Bits: Hello Holidays!

Instead of being stuck in the cold east coast snow, I managed to escape for the holidays just in time. Woot! But that doesn't mean I've completely checked out.....yet. So here a few news bits to get you through the rest of the week, until you make it home for the holidays. :)

-Freja just wrapped up shooting in São Paulo for the Brazilian shoe brand Santa Lolla. The shoot took place today and yesterday, and she was shot by Henrique Gendre. Any Brazilians out there with encounter stories to share? (Thanks to reader Gabriela for the tip!)

Behind the scenes at Santa Lolla

-It's the end of the year and you know what that means....lists. Freja's made it onto Vogue UK's Best Dressed List of 2010, accompanied by a quote from uber talented and revered stylist Lucinda Chambers:

"Freja is the ultimate in boy/girl cool. She’s so down-played but everything she wears is exquisite. Every girls wants to look like Freja.”

That's quite an endorsement coming from Lucinda. Freja is 1 out of the 6 models featured on the 20 person list. The others are Edie Campbell, Elisa Sednaoui, Kate Moss, Lara Stone, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. (Hmmm, does anyone else think that Vogue UK is determined to make Edie the next big British model export? They put her in December's Star Girls ed, and now they feature her here again, when I can think of lots of other girls more deserving.) Now we wait and see if Freja will show up on any other lists. With the year she had, I'm kind of expecting it to be honest. But we'll see.

-Remember this twitpic that was burning up the blogs and forums a while ago? I got a tip from lovely reader Kate, letting us know that it's for the campaign of a Scandinavian based, fast fashion chain store with a predilection for designer collaborations. But shhhhhhhh, you didn't read it here.

-Lastly, thanks for the shout outs models.com and Unique Denmark! It's quite humbling, and also a bit embarrassing to know that this blog is being visited (and maybe even being read....ha!) by people who actually work in the industry. So thank you for that recognition. I guess it means that I must be doing something right. But all the credit of course goes to Freja for keeping all of us enthralled with her work, and to all you out there for your constant input, encouragement, tips and well wishes. I would have given up a long time ago if it wasn't for you amazing and passionate fellow fans. So thanks most of all, to you!

Image Credits: Noctilux tumblr via tFS member Carla-A

Freja in WWD

WWD just came out with their end of the year wrap up issue, and guess what? Freja is featured inside with a short article entitled "Great Dane":

"It’s been a busy year for Freja Beha Erichsen. At 23, this Danish model’s career is on a hot streak. And that’s not simply because she’s Karl Lagerfeld’s current muse. Erichsen has popped up in 10 advertising campaigns and shot almost 40 editorials since January. She equally fascinates editors, stylists and designers, and has appeared in five of the past six issues of French Vogue alone.

Erichsen’s tomboy looks — not to mention 16 tattoos — give her an edgy, androgynous mystique. But her charm is also influenced by the attitude she cultivates in her extracurricular activities: The wannabe rock star plays the drums, piano and guitar.

In 2010, Erichsen walked 80 shows and opened and/or closed 30. Lagerfeld summed up her appeal last April: “I just think she is the most modern girl and the most elegant person."

2010 really has been her year and it's nice to see more people recognizing that, including a very industry-news based publication. It's one thing to hear me talk over and over again about how great Freja is, but it's another to hear it from WWD. :) She's been working hard since 2005, always a bit under the radar; but that definitely changed this year. So congratulations Freja. I hope you're enjoying yourself wherever you are. And may the accolades and recognition continue to come in.

Image Credit: wwd.com

Celebrity?

I finally picked up a copy of the Fall/Winter issue of Bon with Constance on the cover. This Swedish publication has become one of my favorite magazines because it has substantive context and good editorials. It features topics and discussions infinitely more interesting than "How to look good at every age," "10 ways to get the look for less," and "What Hamish Bowles discovered on his 10 day cleanse."

Anyway, this particular issue contains a round table discussion on the recent Fall/Winter 2010/2011 season, and one of the topics covered in said round table is "On the Rise and Rise of Models." Interestingly enough, Freja's picture is chosen as the lead in image for this section:

It was a nice surprise, but when I took the time to think about it, it shouldn't have been a surprise at all. This absolutely jives with all the recent coverage that Freja has been receiving lately, for it seems like she is fashion's current model du jour--the poster girl of model success. It's wonderful for sure, but it also brings bittersweet feelings. I mean, when you're so "of the moment," it's only a matter of time before the moment passes and you're suddenly out of it. Maybe that's my pessimism speaking, but I just don't want Freja to get overexposed and I fear it's happening. Anyway, that isn't the point of this post....sorry to be so scatterbrained. The point is that a few quotes stuck out to me and got me thinking about the issue of celebrity.

Q: "We might think that a lot of models are sort of cookie cutter, completely without personality and importance, but in fact, if you've been on Models.com or the Fashion Spot or Model Manual, there is a fascination with models that seems to be growing. What are your thoughts on this?"

A: "...I don't think this is a fixation on models. It's a fascination with these people and the lives that they lead. Agyness has her music, she has modeling and acting. Each of them is a rock star in their own right. It's a fascination with the celebrity, not the model."

Do you think this is true in Freja's case? And if so, how does this reconcile with her fierce upkeep of privacy outside of modeling? Can Freja be a celebrity when we know essentially nothing about her besides what she shows on the runway, in fashion candids and on magazine pages? Doesn't that just make her simply a model? I've always been curious to know how many people like her for her work, versus those that "like" like her, versus those that like her for her personality and everything it embodies and signifies (the irony of this doesn't escape me considering none of us really know her). I try to focus this blog on the work, and even though I don't really care about all the gossip and whisperings about her personal life, I am fully aware of them. After all, lots of voices whispering together creates a pretty loud sound. So is this the by-product of the celebrity fascination mentioned above? Is the Freja fan domain created out of a fascination with her as a person, instead of the work that she does? Are the two facets mutually exclusive? Or are they rather codependent, with each informing and bolstering the other?

If Freja really was just a model, no one would care about what she did off-duty, what her tattoos means, who she hangs out with, who she sleeps with, etc, etc. But people do care, and I have no idea why they care so much other than to say that models are indeed the new "celebrity." That's disconcerting in a way, because you get a sense that after a while, this fascination begins to come at the price of the work. And this brings me to the second quote from the round table.

"What often happens in fashion, particularly fashion photography, is that everybody is seeking beauty, but with no other thought than combining things that have been approved by everybody else in the industry: best model, best photographer, best studio. All you can think of when looking at the pictures is that they certainly had good salads and sandwiches at the shoot. But it has no charm, no little accidents, no surprises."

In all honestly, this sums up the way I've felt about some (but definitely not all) of Freja's work lately. She's had so much of it since everyone is (seemingly) rushing to capitalize on her popularity and celebrity. But as a result, the moments of awe and inspiration seem diluted. Don't get me wrong....they are still there. But I feel like I have to look harder and longer to find them, and that's frustrating when you feel the pressure to love everything someone does simply because you run a blog about them.

Back when I started this whole thing, I would have been leaping for joy at the success that Freja's had in the past few months. But now that it's here, I can't get that bittersweet taste out of my mouth. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for, right? And just watch.....if Freja ever disappears I'll be howling with frustration at her lack of new work and wishing to recapture this moment where she was on top. (In the voice of Chandler Bing) Can I be anymore fickle and temperamental? I'll just blame it on human nature and utilize another popular saying: the grass is always greener on the other side.

Your thoughts on models, celebrities, model celebrities, Freja, and fickleness? So sorry for the lengthy, stream of consciousness post, but it's pretty quiet news wise so I thought I'd go a little crazy. :)

Image Credits: My Scan

Random Bits: The End of SS11 Edition

I finally had the time to catch up some on non-runway related Freja news, with the help from a few fellow Freja fans of course! Nowadays, there's entirely too much too keep track of, which is a very good thing I guess. Maybe it's not so good if you're trying to be comprehensive. But all any of us can do is try our best, especially coming off the runway season when every other model that you could possibly like has new updates to catch up on every single day. Anyway, here's what's happening off the runway for Freja. Some of it may be old to you, but it's all news to me:


-Freja will star in the upcoming campaign for Danish Jewelry label Georg Jensen. Always nice to see the Danes supporting their biggest model export since Helena Christiansen. TV 2 News in Denmark aired a feature on Freja a little over a month ago, which featured footage from the campaign shoot:

Thanks to the translation skills of AIHBA at tFS, you don't have to feel completely clueless while watching the clip.


-In other campaign news, Freja appears in the Harry Winston Jewelry campaign for Asian Markets. (At least I'm pretty sure it's only in Asian markets since I've never seen such an ad over here in the States.....I could be wrong though.) What's with the sudden proliferation of Jewelry campaigns? Regardless, it's a great step for Freja. Yeah, they're not exactly fashion forward, but they're stable, good paying jobs that require expensive, elegant looking models. Freja is expanding outside her stereotypes yet again, and looking good while doing it. This is why I gripe so much about wanting to see a feminine Freja....because the results looks like this!!

-In the strangest bit of news, Freja made Rolling Stone magazine's Hot List for 2010. I'm sure she must be thrilled, being the huge music aficionado that she is, but this is just so odd to me. For years I think we've all dealt with, and learned to come to terms with, the fact that Freja is a pretty niche model and relatively obscure person in general. (Isn't that part of what made her so special in the first place? You really felt like you discovered something and someone so unique who wasn't tainted by overexposure and extreme public scrutiny.) Now I wonder if and how that will change? Rolling Stone is a major magazine and this is undoubtedly good press and great exposure for Freja. But I'm going to proceed with caution. Either nothing changes and we all continue on like we did before, or we get a sudden influx of fans who are only interested in the "persona" that comes across in the accompanying article, instead of the model who does some really great work. I know I'm probably in the minority, but it's about the work for me and not about the personal life and all that it entails.

-Speaking of persona, Japanese magazine SPUR has a little feature on Freja in their November issue that shows you how you can emulate her style. It's cute, and I think it shows us that Freja is really starting to become a modeling trope, and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

I did a similar feature about a year ago, and looking back you can see how much and how little Freja's style has evolved. It's all basically the same, except now things are just a bit more polished, refined, and probably expensive. :)

Image Credits: bbs.sfileydy.com via tFS member candlebougie, frejabehalove.tumblr.com, twenner.com, vvshu.com via tFS member Flashbang

Tom Ford's Return

Early Sunday night Freja had the tremendous honor and privilege of modeling in arguably the most significant show held in New York this season. Tom Ford made his much anticipated return to womenswear by debuting a small collection to a select group of guests. The list of women enlisted to model in the show is amazing and diverse by usual fashion standards: Caroline Murphy, Daria, Natalia, and Karen to name a few of the established models. Abbey, Liu, and Joan to name a few of the newer faces. Julianne Moore, Beyonce and Rita Wilson to name some celebrities. Notice how these women represent a good range of age, race and body types. Quite a departure from the usual demographics of your typical fashion presentation/show.

Apparently, photographs won't be released until January. And only one photographer, Terry Richardson, was allowed to take pictures during the event (I'll hold my tongue here). Tom Ford himself introduced each model and the piece she was wearing. All who participated were women who "inspired him." To give you an idea of how big this event was, Beyonce decided to forgo the VMA's in order to model for Ford. Can you say, whoa.

What a special event for Freja to be a part of. And maybe not that surprising considering she is the current face of Tom Ford Eyewear. Ford is most definitely known for his glamorous femininity, so it makes me happy to know that Freja isn't considered to be too masculine/edgy/tomboyish/androgynous/insert whatever other adjective that's commonly used to describer her here. I always thought that if Ford had still been designing when Freja first started modeling, she would have been perfect for the image he was projecting and he would have definitely used her. But maybe that's just me.

Anyway, New York is going incredibly well for Freja. She's averaging only one show per day, but she's making that show count. It will be interesting to see what the rest of the week and the rest of the cities bring. If things continue on...I think Freja will be on pace to match or even break her tally of openings and closings from last season.

Press Bits

Just a few recent mentions of Freja that I've rounded up:

-Fashionista doesn't like the current i-D covers featuring Lady Gaga, Kate and Naomi, but they do seem to like Freja. For once I find myself agreeing with them. I think we all would "take Freja over these any day" as well.

-Just last month, NY Mag's The Cut declared Freja the model of the Summer. It seems like their love affair continues as they wonder if the Fall season will fall to Freja as well. They point out that her momentum is going strong into the new season.

-Adding yet another positive firsthand account to the very long and practically flawless list, photographer Andreas Laszlo Konrath had good things to say about Freja when he shot her for New York Magazine's Fall Fashion portfolio. Catching her backstage at Jil Sander and Lanvin, here is part of what Konrath replied when asked about his favorite subjects:

"As for models, Karlie Kloss was the most lovely girl — really amazing. Freja Behar [sic] and Abbey Lee were also very cool and gave me a lot of their time at various shows."

You can browse images from the fashion portfolio here, and if you look through it you'll notice the sheer number of subjects and models Konrath shot throughout the course of the FW1011 shows. So to have Freja (along with Karlie and Abbey) stick out in his mind just reaffirms what we already know, and what we've heard time and time again from other backstage photographers, fans, and people who have had real life encounters with Freja. That she's one of the most affable, courteous, laid back, charismatic, alluring, agreeable, and down to earth models out there working today. Five years going through the ups and downs of the modeling world hasn't given her a big head, a nasty attitude or a sense of entitlement. That, probably above all else, is what makes me proud to be a fan.

-Lastly, no doubt you've been hearing and reading all about the planned events for Fashion's Night Out. The event is being held on September 10th in conjunction with the start of NYFW, and it will also span internationally with stores in countless other countries joining in the festivities with shopping events, concerts, meet and greets, etc. Having browsed through the events happening in NY, I think our best bet for a potential Freja sighting will happen the night before the big event, fittingly enough. Freja has always been one to avoid the spotlight and red carpet events, so I actually don't know if she's taking part in FNO at all. But if she is, I think there is a good chance we could see her at the Chanel dinner hosted by Karl, feting the re-opening of the Soho Chanel boutique.

She's one of the current faces of the brand, and she was just seen traveling with Karl in St. Tropez, complete with a classic Chanel 2.55 flap bag dangling from her shoulder. So I guess we'll see come September 9th....then again, if we don't see Freja at all I won't be surprised. I mean, every season I still hold my breath out of anxious anticipation until I see her on her first catwalk. Anyone else do this too? Just me? Oh...ok. :)

Image Credits: nymag.com

Coverage

I find it amusing and comical that the latest fashion "story" to break on all the fashion sites is about the appearance of the same Miu Miu F/W 10.11 dress on three different magazine covers for August, one of those covers being Freja's Vogue UK. The story broke on the Guardian Sunday, and by today it seems like every major site has picked up coverage of the story:

Coco Perez
Daily Mail
Fab Sugar
Fashionista
Huffington Post
NYMag's The Cut
Styleite
Stylist
The Frisky
The Telegraph

At first I thought this was all pretty ridiculous and being blown completely out of proportion (Not to mention that's it not even the exact same dress on all three covers, but two similar versions as shown above). I still think this is all pretty ludicrous, but now I also think there is a huge plus side to this regarding Freja. Her Vogue UK cover is getting free press all over the internet and people who aren't usually exposed to Vogue UK are seeing it....a lot, over and over especially if they read a lot of fashion sites. It's an attractive and enticing enough cover that it will probably get lots more people asking "who's that girl?"

I'm not so naive to think that Freja is popular enough to be considered a mainstream, household name model. 99.9% of the US population can't identify the models in the ads of their magazines, nor are they frequent visitors to tFS. So something like this, no matter how trivial and ridiculous it may seem to me, definitely helps in terms of exposure and good press coverage for a model like Freja. Especially right now as her star seems to be rising even higher. And if all of this leads to more copies of Vogue UK being bought both here in the US and abroad, then maybe Freja will land another cover in the future. And maybe more magazines will start to put models more frequently on their covers. For we can all bitch and moan as much as we want to about celebrities on magazines covers, but it's the numbers and the money that speak the loudest.

There is a silver lining to all things, so I say to all the fashion sites out there: keep re-posting this story over and over again! You're not going to win a Pulitzer for groundbreaking news, but you'll be helping out our favorite model. :)

Image Credits: guardian.co.uk, style.com

First Image?

Possible image from the F/W 10.11 Max Mara campaign?

I'm not sure, but it sure does seems like it is. Huge, huge thanks to the anonymous commenter in this post for sharing the image with me. I don't know who you are, but thank you so much. It's tips like yours that keep this blog relevant and up-to-date. It's also all of everyone's comments that keep me on my toes, constantly thinking about new perspectives and ideas. So thank you everyone! After all, a blog is only as good as it's readers. :) I couldn't do this without you all, that's for sure.

Anyway, like I said above, I'm not sure if this is an actual image from the campaign or part of some other promotional material. Lookbook, catalog, store display, who knows? But Freja sure does look simply stunning. Just proceed with caution if you're going to repost this anywhere because I cannot confirm that it is indeed a campaign image.

And to the anonymous tipster, I wish I knew who you were so you could get the proper credit for this find!

The News We've All Been Waiting For!

We were anticipating it, expecting it, demanding it. And now it's here and it's true. Freja has the March 2010 cover of Vogue Italia shot by Steven Meisel!

"We welcome spring through the intense gaze of Freja Beha Erichsen, the 22-year old Danish top model, clad in a white lace dress by Dolce e Gabbana. Behind the camera the skillful eye of fashion photographer Steven Meisel. This is the cover look for the new issue of Vogue, at your newsstand on 3 March. The magazine, with its photo shoots, interviews and cult features, will tell us about the month of March, dictating the latest trends in fashion and beauty but also in art and music. Always focusing on events and celebrities. "

For Freja fans who've been with her for years (like myself) , this is the news we've always hoped for but never thought to be in the realm of possibility. In fact, hearing it now still seems a little surreal. Like a fuzzy dream that leaves remnants in your memory after you wake up. But this IS real.

How very fitting that we end the last day of Milan Fashion Week with this news. During one of her best runway seasons ever, we get the proverbial cherry on top; icing on the cake; having our cake and eating it too. Truly, truly unbelievable in the best possible way. I feel like words just aren't adequate enough to express how happy I am for this. I guess it just feels nice to have all the time and effort we've put in over the years as fans finally pay off to the fullest.

Thanks to tFS member slow_hands for breaking the news!!!! Now we celebrate! :)

March Magazine Madness

This deserves to be noted. Freja appears in five different editorials in five magazines for the month of March....yes, five.

1. Vogue Nippon shot by Terry Richardson
2. Vogue UK shot by Josh Olins
3. Vogue China shot by Karl Lagerfeld
4. Vogue US shot by Steven Meisel
5. W Magazine shot by Mario Sorrenti

The streak continues. And what amazes me is the caliber of the publications and photographers. With fashion week going on right now and Freja having her busiest day ever on tuesday with four shows, you have to wonder if the girl ever rests? She was clearly working hard in the months leading up to FW1011, and she's clearly working hard right now, so if she disappears for a bit after Paris, I think I'll understand why. I'm exhausted and we haven't even had a week of shows yet. We still have three more cities to go, but Freja doesn't have a London showcard so maybe she'll skip the city like usual to rest up? Or maybe she'll just make an appearance at Burberry? Like I've said before, no showcard doesn't necessarily mean no model. Stay tuned...

News Bytes

-To coincide with the arrival of spring accessories on his e-commerce site, Alexander Wang is releasing a behind the scenes video of his SS10 runway show. Style.com has a short preview which you can see above. It's only 45 seconds and you can see Freja about 16 seconds in. The full version will be released Monday on Alex's site, and if the preview is any indication, it looks like we'll get plenty of Freja to satisfy our backstage curiosities.

-Freja moved up a rank to a solid number 4 on models.com Top 50 Models list. Lara, Anja, Natasha, Sasha and Raquel are the only ones before her. If I recall correctly, Freja's career high position was number 2, but I could be wrong. Any one remember? Anyway, as long as she keeps working at the same pace and level that she's been at for this past year, I don't see any reason why her rank wouldn't gain one or two more spots. However, I'm not sure she'll ever reach the number 1 spot. Freja's a wonderful model, but let's be realistic; you have to be damn near iconic (I'm talking within the industry here, not just with fans) to reach that spot and her quantity of work just doesn't add up. If Meisel shoots her for a Vogue Italia cover, US Vogue puts her on their Models of the Moment issue, Nick Knight features her on ShowStudio monthly, and she lands blue-chip ad campaigns beside Chanel then we'll talk. Until then, it's not gonna happen. (Prove me wrong Freja, because I would be happy to eat my words.)

-You can see preview images of Freja's new Vogue Nippon editorial shot by Terry Richardson here and here. Being that the images are low quality, I'm pretty much ideologically opposed to everything that Terry Richardson stands for, and I need a break, I'll spare you the long write up about this ed...not that any of you were dying to read it in the first place I'm sure.

-New York Fashion Week officially beings in 12 days on February 11th! We'll likely see Freja touch down for her first show Friday night at Rag & Bone...that is, assuming she's going to walk this season. I don't see why she wouldn't, but with Freja I've always come to expect the unexpected. And the SS08 and SS09 seasons are always fresh in the back of my mind, making me hold my breath in hope that she doesn't unexpectedly skip out again. We'll see. After all, life's pleasures are derived in anticipation.

Image Credits: imgmodels.com

Bits and Bytes

Just some news and upcoming things to be aware of:

-In case you forgot, the Chanel Haute Couture show is set for this Tuesday, January 26th.

-Freja's made it onto her first cover of the year. Nevermind that it's shot by Karl, features three other models (Heidi, Abbey Lee, Baptiste), and is for Numero Homme. A cover is still a cover.

-Look for a new editorial shot by Terry Richardson in the upcoming March issue of Vogue Nippon. A preview can be seen here, and below thanks to tFS member s'gnac.

-Speaking of upcoming work, don't forget that we have the Spur story and the Purple editorial to look forward to. Not to mention that New York fashion week begins in a matter of days.

Busy busy! As happy as I am for all this new work, I sure hope Freja isn't overworking herself to exhaustion. Remember to take care of yourself girl.

Image Credits: journaux.fr, snap by tFS member s'gnac

Spur

Whew! Just wrapped my last booking of the year...Freja Beha Erichsen for Spur ...coming sometime in Spring 2010. I must be mum and not preview too may of the choice looks (it was a personal style story) or unveil too many of of Freja's disclosures before the story runs but suffice it to say it was a lovely sitting with the coolest girl around. A fast shoot in a real location instead of another sterile studio...a ruthlessly efficient team tracking the strict briefs from the Tokyo office ... mid-70's rock n roll vibrating from the speakers...you have to love a calm, laid back gig like this. Now if only fashion could be like that EVERY day.

Thanks to the The Imagist, we have info on some upcoming work. Personal style story eh? Should be interesting to see how that works out considering that Freja's style as we know it is pretty basic and black. But you know how they always like to gussie things up for features like this. So maybe we'll see more designer labels? Perhaps some Yohji, Junya, and Comme des Garcons? That would be fitting considering the publication's country of origin.

Speaking of, any readers out there from Japan? If so, wanna send me a copy when this comes out? I'll be eternally grateful. Onegai shimasu? I'm actually being kind of serious here because I have no idea where or even if Spur is sold near me.

Anyway, I'm excited to see how this story turns out. And it's always nice to hear news that reinforces the perception we have of Freja as cool, laid back and easy to work with. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything bad about this girl. Have you?

And before I forget, happy holidays everyone! I'm officially on vacation until 2010, but will try to update as much as I can provided that there's news for me to update on. After all, fashion and Freja need vacations too. :)

Image Credits: theimagist

31 Rue Cambon

Chanel is launching an in house publication entitled 31 Rue Cambon (named after the address of the first Chanel boutique). It is designed and art-directed by Olivier Zahm, who also happens to be the editor-in-chief of Purple, which also happens to be the magazine that published this infamous editorial.

Karl seems to be pulling out all the stops in order to ensure that the house of Chanel will weather these touch economic waters and emerge unscathed. An in-house publication distributed to all stores is something I equate more with the fast fashion of H&M rather than Chanel tweed and 2.55s. But I guess you have to try anything to make sure your customers stay loyal and keep buying. And bringing back a recognizable face (Claudia Schiffer) for the ad campaign also falls in line with this reasoning. The typical Chanel customer would probably recognize Claudia from past campaigns, and she is part of the 90's supermodel clan after all.

Anyway, being that this is a Karl project, you can bet Freja will be all over the magazine along with Baptiste. An early preview already proves this to be true.

Lara, Heidi and maybe even Charlotte di Calypso should also figure into the visual equation, as they seem to be other favorites of Karl's when it comes to Chanel. Zahm is an interesting, and perhaps risky choice to helm the project, but it makes me excited for the final outcome. I definitely want to see what the man responsible for raunchy, full frontal nudity editorials can do with that Chanel tweed and those 2.55 bags. Don't you?

But with the release date unknown and Chanel stores scare, there's no telling when we'll get to see full and proper scans. As is the case with Twin magazine (at least 8 weeks for me), we might be waiting for a while.

Image Credits: purple-diary

The First Twin

Some great news for those of you living in the UK. Freja is in the first issue of a new bi-annual publication called Twin. More art book than fluffy fashion magazine, Twin seems to have lofty creative aspirations; perhaps a method used to set itself apart from the pack in an industry already staring at the vortex of the obsolete.

While other publications are either shutting down or scaling back and cutting staff, Twin bravely releases this week in London. The previews so far are promising, as is their mission statement:

TWIN is closer to a book than a magazine
TWIN is strong, sensual and independent – like its readers
TWIN offers considered and uncomplicated art and fashion
TWIN loves creative women but does not worship empty celebrity
TWIN peels back the gloss and gets back to the basics of magazine-making
Substance over surface is our motto

Add to the above a stunning video preview of Freja's editorial.

Style.com has already jumped on the bandwagon with a writeup. And I must say I'm impressed with what little I've seen. Twin already seems like an old pro in the way they've been able to integrate their published content with the communicative technologies of the internet. Not to mention them pulling out all the stops for this issue in securing Freja and Kim Noorda for editorial features--two top veterans in their own right. And finally, throw in contributors like Miranda July, Garance, Todd Selby and Carol Ann Duffy and I definitely see the makings of a cult hit. Maybe something more along the lines of Self-Service rather than V Magazine, but I suppose I should wait until the first issue actually comes out before I make my judgments.

With seemingly something for everyone, and something to appeal to all aspects of your creative self, I hope some scans surface soon. If only so we can see how the rest of Freja's editorial turns out.

Image Credits: twinfactory.co.uk

New York Living

After hearing about it a few weeks ago in the interview below, we now have official confirmation that Freja has moved to New York.

@ 1:10

Here is the direct quote from her official site:

She has moved to NY earlier this week and hasn't got any Internet connection up running yet, so unfortunately she can't monitor this board right now.

When I first heard about it in the interview, I thought maybe Freja was talking about getting a second apartment. You know, a place to land whenever she's in the city for work, which has been quite often of late. After all, she's made no secret of her love for Denmark and her satisfaction living there. So it's a little surprising to me that she would make this move now.

For the past five years Freja has successfully managed to do her job very well, all while maintaining a home base in Copenhagen. Her career is totally established and she's well known and (I'm assuming) well paid enough to live wherever she wants to. So why would she choose to make this move now?

Only Freja can answer that question, but that's not going to stop me from mulling it over and coming up with some reasons as to why I think she moved now.

1. We've seen a very steady uptick recently in the amount of work Freja has put out. Perhaps things reached a fever-pitch and the move was a necessary, common sense response for her heath and sanity's sake. Constantly traveling across the globe definitely takes it's toll on the body and it's circadian rhythms.

2. In addition to dressing the part now, Freja is finally committing to the fashion industry and fully accepting her role within it. This move is just the last piece of the puzzle. Most girls move within a few months after starting their career so Freja's situation is definitely an anomaly. She stayed true to her "rebel" reputation and did things her own way. Simultaneously, this move could also be seen as a sign of maturity in that she's growing out of this rebel phase and into adulthood. Which brings me to....

3. Freja's reached that point in her life where she wants more independence and freedom. She wants to live completely on her own terms, to see if she's strong enough to survive in a new city. She has matured into young adulthood and moving away from home is the most tangible expression of that. I think we all feel something similar when we transition from our teens into our twenties, so maybe it's no coincidence that this move coincides with her 22nd birthday. It also helps that...

4. All her model friends live in NY and hang out together. Maybe Freja just didn't want to be apart from that any more. Yes, she has her family and childhood friends in Denmark, but there comes a point in one's life when you just want to strike out on your own. And friend geography helps you determine where that should happen. I know that I'm living where I am because of my friends.

5. The lure of the city that never sleeps was just too strong to deny any longer.

6. Her motivations are none of the above and not professionally related at all. If this is the case, then it's none of our business. :)

Do you think I'm missing anything? Even though I can't figure out why Freja moved now, this is exciting for us fans because of it's implications. New York is one of the centers of the fashion industry, so Freja's move to it implies that we'll be seeing even more work from her. It also implies that she'll be sticking around a lot longer than any of us thought.

Proof positive that things can and do change for the better. If you told me one year ago that Freja was going to start an official site, have one of her best campaign seasons ever and move to NY I would have called you crazy. Knowing that all this has actually happened in the past year, I'm excited and a little scared to see where we'll be one year from now.

BTW, thanks everyone for the wonderful comments yesterday about the anniversary of this blog and Freja's b-day. You would think a few words from people you don't know wouldn't make a difference, but they do. They make all the difference in the world.

The Classic Beauty, Revisited

There's an interesting article in the advertising section of the WSJ today, talking about the return of classic, girl-next-door looks within the fashion industry in the face of the economic downturn. It seems like common sense to me; when things are difficult, people take less risks in favor of playing it safe.

This season we've seen a comeback of sorts for Freja. She's never really left the picture, but we haven't seen this much work from her in a long time. So, I wonder if her resurgence can be partly attributed to this return of the "classic beauty?"

I've always considered Freja to be beautiful in the most generally appealing way. No overly harsh cheekbones, no quirky features, and an absolutely radiant smile. Her beauty is accessible and easily digestible to all people regardless of their interest in fashion. My non-fashion minded friends will never understand the appeal of Hanne or Abbey, but they all think Freja is gorgeous.

"Since the supermodel era of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the fashion landscape has become so segmented that few models can carry both high-end fashion brands and mainstream campaigns. But lately models with classic looks are again doing it all."

Freja falls into this "few models" category because she is a classic beauty who happens to have a subtle edge if you know how to look for it. For instance, her forehead is a little larger than average, her nose is definitely unique and her cupid's bow is very pronounced. I think these are the things that have made her so adaptable as a model, and they explain why her resume impressively jumps from high-end to mainstream and back again.

If anyone has interesting thoughts on the subject, please share. We're experiencing the calm before the fashion week storm right now. And so I leave you with one last quote from the article.

"IMG's Mr. Cunningham doesn't agree that the current aesthetic will continue to reign. 'This look is fickle, and it's cyclical, and this too shall pass,'"

Sound familiar?

Roundup

It's nice to see Freja's Vogue Russia editorial getting so much recognition. Check it out:

models.com

stylefile

refinery29

Everyone seems to be in agreement that this is Freja at her best. Soft and hard. Androgynous and feminine. Edgy and delicate. Able to so perfectly exist on both ends of the spectrum like no other model can.