Real vs. Rendered

Here's a blast from the SS07 past....

Prada Runway:

Or Prada Lookbook:

Even though I know she didn't fit the image of the Prada show this past season, seeing these made me a little sad that Freja didn't walk it because I love seeing her on that runway. Such a shame because she has such a long history with it as well. I just hope Miuccia didn't drop her like she did Marina, who was another Prada fav (or so I thought) but who hasn't walked the show since FW0910.

Image Credits: style.com, issuu

Surprises Aren't Always Good

If you've been reading this blog, you've probably noticed that a huge theme for this season has been surprises. Freja getting photographed by Meisel for US Vogue. Freja walking in Anna Sui for the first time ever. Freja opening and closing Oscar de la Renta. Well, surprises aren't always so pleasant and we had our first taste of the other side of things today.

Freja didn't walk for Prada, the show at which she made her world wide runway debut back during the FW0506 season. She's missed the show twice before (SS08 and SS09) but she left Milan early both those times. This is the first time where she's been in the city but hasn't walked for the show, meaning she did not get cast for whatever reason. So, surprise indeed.

On a positive note, she was at Fendi earlier today. So at least we know she's doing Milan! I'm still disappointed to say the least. Freja and Prada just go so well together in my mind, but after seeing the styling of the show I can understand why she wasn't the best fit for it. Nevertheless, it still sucks. It sucks about as much as when Elise Crombez stopped walking for Prada. :(

Happy Birthday Freja!

Today is Freja's 22nd birthday and the one year anniversary of this blog. Yes, I started this all as a 21st birthday present to Freja one year ago.

Cut to one year later and I never thought I'd still be doing this. I never thought people would actually care enough to read my words and hear my rambling analysis. I never thought Freja would make a resurgence and log one of her best years in terms of campaigns, editorials and runway appearances. I never thought she'd start an official site complete with a blog. It's pretty clear I never thought about a lot of things, but I'm glad they have all happened.

So thank you so much for your time, attention and all your enthusiastic comments. I started this for Freja but now I continue on for you, the Freja fans. And thank you so much, of course, to Freja for being this blog's inspiration and muse. Her uncompromisingly cool attitude, laid-back personality and rebel approach towards fashion keeps us all on the edge of our seats wanting more.

I'm sure Freja doesn't read this blog, much less know of it's existence; but I'm fine with that because it was never my intention. So I hope I can keep this running for as long as she has a career; and let us hope that that's a long time coming. But more than this, I hope that all of you continue to find solace, escape, happiness and whatever it is you are searching for, in our favorite model. Because isn't that what brings all of us back to her work? Isn't that why we just can't get enough?

I hope this upcoming year brings you as much satisfaction, enjoyment and creative release as the past year writing this blog has brought to me. And lastly, I hope that Freja has another year full of professional success, but more importantly, personal health, growth and happiness because she deserves it.

Happy Birthday Freja! Let's commemorate this occasion by taking a look at her very first runway appearance as a FW0506 Prada semi-exclusive at the ripe old age of 17.

@ 0:15

Amazing what four years experience and confidence can do. She really has matured into a beautiful, self assured young woman.

Prada and Milan

Freja walked Prada today as expected:

Unexpectedly, Sasha and Ymre (who was assumed to be Muiccia's current favorite) did not. Iselin made a return and the rest of the cast (minus Lara and Natasha) was full of new names and up-and-comers including Mirte Maas, the beauty who opened the Alexander Wang show and who had an impeccable New York showlist. Also unexpectedly, two Asian models and one black model walked the show. This is a big departure, albeit a good one, for Prada in that it has never been known for racial diversity on it's runway.

Miilan has officially begun! It's only day two and we're already shaking things up. Now let's see if the other shows will follow suit.

Image Credits: catwalking via tFS member Nils, fashionologie

Casting Intricacies

Prada was the first major runway show Freja ever walked in. Back during the FW0506 season she made her international runway debut as a semi-exclusive for the brand, and then promptly went on to Paris where she walked all the major shows. It's safe to say that Freja's never looked back. That initial casting decision by Russell March launched the amazing career that we know of today. In fact, it's exclusives and debuts like this that are responsible for the careers of many of our favorite models.

So what makes one girl different from another? Why did Russell choose Freja and what did he see in her? I guess he only knows the real answer to that, but I think we can gain some insight into his mind from this interesting interview of another influential casting director, Michelle Lee:

I guess what I look for in a model, are what differentiates one model as being good and one as being not so strong. It’s a model that has some sort of strength, whether it’s inside of them or it’s a physical characteristic. There has to be some element about them that grabs your attention. I think especially within the last year, casting has gone that way where people are less looking for that wet blanket, hanger body, no personality, no special kind of characteristic. Now people want these girls/women who embodies strength and power, it’s either somebody you want to look like or you believe them in these clothes. It’s much less about these new pile of 13, 14 year old, it’s more about these girls who have something that are slightly masculine about them, some sort of inner fortitude even if it’s a silent quiet strength, there’s something there. Or it could be something humorous or funny about their look or their personality. Something about them has to be extraordinary. There aren’t a lot of them out there but they exist!

Michelle of KCD is responsible for casting Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs (among a slew of other things). Yes, I realize that her casting process is probably totally different from Russell's, but I think the general idea of what she says applies across the board whether you're casting Prada or a local high school fashion show. There are just some concepts and universal truths applicable to all situations.

Isn't it amazing how the bolded parts above describe Freja to a T? It seems like Michelle had her in mind when she gave this interview because the qualities she describes are the very same qualities that attracted me to Freja. They are the same qualities that define her model persona: inner strength, power, silent fortitude, unwavering calm, slight masculinity...Freja embodies and is famous for it all.

So with Prada happening in a few hours and Freja likely to walk, you can bet I'll be watching the new exclusives and debuts to see what they bring to the table. Although I tend to think none of them will be able to hold a candle to Freja, only time will tell. Afterall, it did take a few seasons of practice for Freja to go from this green behind the ears, punky teen:

To this fierce as all hell, get in my way and I will stomp you woman:

Image Credits: style.com

Heavy Lifting

Whoever said that modeling was easy never had to lift a Prada bag. Models have a pretty tough life. Not only do they have to be super tall, beautiful and stylish; apparently, they also have to have muscles of steel. I guess designers must stuff those things with bricks or something.

Hold on Freja. You've got it!

Image Credits: fashionmag.com