Via, Via, Vieni Via Con Me

I've received a few requests to review Freja's spot for Valentino's Valentina fragrance, so I suppose that is what I'll do now in this spare minute. Directed by the incomparable Johan Renck, it's totes brill. But first of all, you lot should watch it, seeing as you probably haven't already. If you like, you can interpret that as a generalized slight at your collective inability to find shit on your own without my help. Now SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTHS, Paolo is singing:

I especially like the 49-second segment where they shout "VALENTINA!" with varying amounts of vocal and auditory strain. Not only did they save money on script writers, they ensured that viewers went away with a solid memory of what the product was called, which is more than I can say for those various commercials concerning erectile dysfunction. Now, we can split hairs about how I can probably relate more strongly to an admirably rebellious birthday girl than I can to a depressed man with a broken penis, but in the grand scheme of things, we're talking about good advertising here, not semantics.

Sorry for the crude language, I haven't met my Sunday quota.

What I think is particularly interesting about this commercial is that as opposed to selling just a product, Valentino is clearly marketing a lifestyle, or personality, if you will. With many brands, we see the discrimination between the product and the individual who is selling it to us; in this case, Freja is playing the role of a girl named "Valentina". So what we learn from the commercial is that buying the Valentina fragrance is like buying the essence of this girl we see ditching the public celebration of her birthday for a night out with friends. She's wealthy and glamorous, but she's not phased by running about through Roma in her heels. She's fun, she knows what she wants, and she will bloody well get what she wants when she wants it. Even if she has to leap out a window.

But I'm not too snazzy when it comes to advertising. The blatant stuff, anyhow. Preferring the more artistic side of things, I have always been a little dismissive of campaigns, with the exception of the odd one that is just beauteous. This one is wonderfully shot, with the dark tones vibrant with a warmth that you feel with the elevation of yellow tones as opposed to blues (which would provide a much darker atmosphere.

Camera views are dynamic, which allow the viewer to feel like they are trotting along through the entire sequence. But this is an important thing: We are always following Valentina, always viewing things from the perspective of someone who isn't quite on her level, whether it be tracking her from above on a terrace, or from across the street. We see her progress, but we are not a part of her world. And what does this do to us? It makes us want to be (I use "us" loosely, because most of the people reading this already wanted that anyway. But I'm just saying, Valentino covered their bases excellently.).

You wanted my opinion. Well that's all I have to say. So I'll throw in Freja's as well. She probably says something about it being "rock 'n roll" (because honestly, doesn't she always?), but I'm sure you will appreciate her perspective as well.

Yeah, so what she said, and what I said, that's all that's been said. So what are you lot saying?

Peace, love, and floating,
Gill Ford

"Via Con Me" is a song by an Italian fellow name Paolo Conte. We like him. 

Conventional

Everything about this editorial is conventional, but for some reason I still like it. It's just a very nice change of pace to see Freja occupying such a feminine, common-place, standard role here (whoa, never thought I'd be so receptive to traditional stereotypes.....I must be getting old). In fact, it's kind of weird to see her in such a hetero-normative coupling. So for me, this unexpectedness makes up for any stylistic shortfalls the editorial may have. The novelty of it is exciting since Freja has never been the go-to girl for couple editorials.

State of Grace
Interview Magazine May 2011
Ph: Mikael Jansson
Styling: Karl Templer
Other Model: Tomek Szczukiecki

These images accompany an article about Valentino, so they're meant more as a display of fashion in the most literal sense. It's not necessarily about telling a story or getting the reader lost in some esoteric concept. It's about showing the reader what the article is all about. And so it makes sense that Freja was cast for this story, seeing how she has been a face for the brand two seasons in a row and is set to debut a new fragrance campaign any day now.

I still can't get over the fact that Freja is now pretty much synonymous with the Valentino brand. It just goes to show you that fashion houses, in addition to models, can change their image too. Some people might think they're strange bedfellows, but I've explained before why I think they're a really good fit. And like someone on Fashin so aptly pointed out, "accusing freja of doing only masculinity well is so 2 years ago." Amen to that.

Image Credits: courtesy of fashion_screen livejournal

On a Roll

It seems like nearly every brand Freja is associated with these days turns to gold. According to WWD, Valentino has reported increased sales:

"Valentino sales in the first quarter are up at least 40 percent and wholesale sales of the fall collection improved 35 percent over last year."

If you're keeping track, that's three brands so far who's sales have gone up since Freja has been featured in their ad campaigns. The first was Harry Winston and the second was Georg Jensen. All the brands represent fairly diverse product sectors and target audiences, which is a good thing because it indicates that Freja's appeal cuts across a wide swath in the high-end market. She's a high fashion model no doubt and her image seems to sell high-end goods very successfully.

It's such a paradox because we usually don't associate an image like Freja's tattooed, rebel one with expensive goods. But I guess the rest of the world that exists outside the model-obsessive bubble doesn't know a thing about Freja other than that she looks good in print.

Oh, and it should be no surprise to anyone that the region where Valentino is seeing the most growth is China. No wonder they went with Freja for the new Valentino perfume campaign. But will they go with her a third time for their ready to wear campaign? I have no idea, but they'd be ridiculous not to.

Valentino Perfume Campaign!

Once again, thanks to a comment from one of the amazing readers of this blog, we have some great news to end the month on! Freja just shot a perfume campaign for Valentino!!

The news comes via WWD:

"Director Johan Renck, who has just wrapped filming the latest Valentino perfume ad campaign, starring Freja Beha Erichsen, said he’s eager to work with Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” fame."

Two print campaigns and now a perfume campaign!? Chiuri and Piccioli sure do love her. Anyway, no other details to report as of now. But congrats to Freja for the get. These contracts are what most models dream of and work towards. And thank you to the anonymous commenter for the tip. This blog could most certainly not run without it's lovely and perceptive readers. :)


Side note: To any readers in Japan, or readers with family or friends in Japan, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Diverge - Converge

What comes to mind when you think of "Valentino"?
Femininity, luxury, elegance, red, etc....am I right?

What comes to mind when you think of "Freja"?
Androgyny, tomboy, leather, cool attitude, etc....yes?

So how can we reconcile the two? How we can explain Freja's role of prominence for the established high fashion house that represents nearly everything that Freja is not? Two consecutive ad campaigns, lots of runway looks, opening the just held SS11 Haute Couture show......what gives?

Even though the two (fashion house and model) may seem so divergent at a surface glance, I actually think Freja is a wonderfully suitable choice to take the brand into the new decade. She is the perfect bridge between traditional elegance and modern edge. She is accessible and beautiful, but also avantgarde and quirky. Her classic beauty references the past, but the personal sensibilities she imbues into her work scream the present, the here, the now. If a venerable house wants to embrace the ever evolving spectacle of modern life and show that it isn't stifled by it's own history, then Freja is the perfect model for the job. (I suspect this is also why Karl is so taken with Freja for Chanel.)

If you don't change, you die. But change too quickly and you lose sense of your very core being. We're all going through this same balancing act in life; whether we're an old school fashion house, a successful model, or just a mere fan. We're all just trying to find ways to navigate through the confusion of surviving while the world swirls and changes around us. And sometimes, in this madness, disparate elements will converge together to make absolute sense.

Image Credits: style.it

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

Valentino on Repeat

The new year brings more good news for Freja fans. She's returning as one of the faces of Valentino for their S/S 11 ad campaign shot by David Sims. You can see last season's campaign here.

"For their Spring 2011 ad campaign, Valentino’s Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli tapped three of the hottest models of the moment—Freja Beha Erichsen, Caroline Brasch Nielsen, and Julia Saner—to showcase their gossamer-light collection. David Sims shot the black-and-white images in Valentino Garavani’s Place Vendôme home—what the designers call “a poetic and ultra-chic Paris setting.” It is Sims’ second campaign for the house.

“These dreamy black-and-white shots show three different beauties, each with something unique,” Chiuri and Piccioli explain to Style.com. “This is a very feminine, stylish campaign, with a light, playful twist that reveals the Spring 2011 collection’s airy atmosphere and captures the brand’s lifestyle. In cinematic style, we wanted to tell the stories of three different women enjoying private moments in the comfort of their homes.”"

The only shot released so far features newcomer Julia Saner. Freja's and Caroline Brasch Nielsen's shots have yet to be released. This is the third major blue-chip campaign of the season for Freja, which is pretty amazing and shows us that her dominance appears to be continuing strong from 2010 into 2011. If you look at her track record, the SS seasons never seem to turn out as successful campaign wise when compared to the FW seasons. But that seems to be changing this time around. Now to see if this momentum will carry on into the F/W 11/12 runway season, or if Freja will begin to slow down like her peers (see Lily, Raquel, etc...)


Side Note: I know I'm behind on my emails and posting. I still haven't tackled the LV and Chanel campaigns....the Holiday's will do that to you. :) My apologies and I hope to get things back in order these upcoming weeks. Thanks for your e-mails, tips and patience, and Happy 2011!

Campaign Miscellany

-Valentino has released a backstage video from their F/W 10.11 campaign:

You can see Freja, Tati and Jac hard at work posing and working those camera angles. Most of them time I always find behind the scenes stuff infinitely more interesting than the actual final product, and this is really no exception. The film is in color and you get to experience that lovely dimension here, while it was sadly lacking in the print ads. We also lost a lot of the beauty and impact of the setting. Up until this campaign, the Valentino headquarters located in the Palace Vendôme had never been privy to public eyes. Did you see the gilded gold mirrors and marble busts? That kind of stuff is amazing, and color images would have done more justice to their beauty and history. I just think that if you're going to debut a place with such history behind it to the public eye, you should execute it with more venerability and deference.

-Freja is the face of two different Korean brands this season. Full image sets have been released and you can see them in their entirety at tFS. Small previews below:

ab.f.z

SJ SJ

Freja looks beautiful as always, but there is nothing groundbreaking going on here. And frankly, that isn't what I expect from foreign campaigns. The brands who can afford to hire international models like Freja are usually pretty commercial and mass-market in their respective countries. And when you deal with mass-market you deal with straightforward, broad appeal. No boundaries pushed, no predilections offended. You're trying to sell clothes to as many people as possible, and when you're not aiming for a very particular section of the population, you're aiming for the biggest chunk of it. Exclusive vs inclusive. Specific vs broad. High fashion vs mass market. Funny how Freja is seemingly considered commercial in Korea, while here in the US she's seen as more of an edgy, fringe model. Go figure.

Image Credits: ab.f.z via tFS members Jet luk, sj-sj.co.kr via tFS members candlebougie

Valentino Haute Couture

In somewhat of a surprise, Freja walked in and opened the Valentino Haute Couture F/W 10.11 show earlier today in Paris. Surprising because it was her first time walking for Valentino HC, and not so surprising because she is one of the current faces of the brand (the two other campaign girls - Monika Jagaciak and Tati Cotliar - walked the show as well).

Earlier I asked, "who is the new Valentino woman?" Well, maybe it's Freja. Having her both open the show and star in the campaign sends quite a modern message for a house so usually bound with classicism, don't you think?

Anyway, it's great to see her on the HC runways, first at Chanel and now at Valentino. Gives me the confidence to presume that we'll see Freja dominate the ready-to-wear runways comes September. Even if contemporaries like Lily, Lara and Heidi are slowing down in their runway work, Freja seems to be going full speed ahead; just the way we fans like it! Although that doesn't mean that the truncated seasons of SS08 and SS09 aren't still fresh in my mind. I'll never forget those...they've scarred me somewhat and no matter how well Freja does, a part of me will always be scared that she'll disappear again.

Image Credits: style.it

The Valentino Woman

Who is the new Valentino woman? Take a look at the new ads and see if you can answer that question. I'm not sure that I can....yet.

Valentino F/W 10.11 Ad Campaign
Ph: David Sims
Other models (not pictured): Monika Jagaciak, Tati Cotliar

I know that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have taken the house in a decidedly more modern direction, but do these ads reflect that? They do when it comes to model choice, because never, ever would Freja have been a Valentino woman if Mr. Valentino was still in charge. But the choice of using black and white photography to convey this new modernity is a bit too antagonistic and old fashioned to me. Although, now that I think about it, perhaps this is the perfect way to express the conflict and uncertainty bound to rear up whenever a new generation takes over an established entity.

You'll always have those longing for the past, happy to live in their idealization of the glory days. Then you'll have those happy in the onslaught of technology and progress, thrilled to see the inevitable ebb and flow of change that the passage of time brings. The more I look at this campaign, the more I can see both sides of that coin there-within. A certain deference and allusion to the past with the photography and even the setting (gilded mirrors and crystal chandeliers of the actual historic Parisian headquarters of Valentino); yet at the same time, a nod to the present and the future with unconventional model choices who have their bodies on display in such a way only permissible by today's much more relaxed standards of propriety.

Do I like this? I'm not sure yet. Ask me again at the end of the season. Do I think this is interesting? Most definitely. Am I over analyzing as usual? Probably. But it's what I do best. I still don't know who the new Valentino woman is. I can't figure out who Maria and Pier are trying to target with these ads and who they're trying to get to buy their clothing. So instead I'll just sit back and enjoy the fact that Freja is a Valentino woman, tattoos and all.

Ten years ago it was so rare to see visible tattoos on the runway. Now Freja's are being displayed in nationwide ad campaigns. Amazing indeed, and yet another signifier for the changing times and generations. Her tattoos are now inseparable from her image as a model, as well as being inseparable from the surface of her skin. Kind of like her trademark, and in that respect I feel she's a larger model personality than most people give her credit for.

They say the era of the supermodel is over. But they say nothing about the era of the cult personality model. So we'll see who people will remember in 20 years time when they look back on this decade.

Image Credits: valentino.com via tFS member Carla-A

More Unexpected Camapaign News

Fresh from the WWD front (via tFS member tarsha) comes news that Freja will also appear in the upcoming F/W 10.11 Valentino ad campaign:

"One doesn’t usually equate the word “shocking” with the house of Valentino, but there’s a radical image change afoot there. The fall campaign, which breaks in the July issue of Italian Vogue, has a new photographer — David Sims, who replaced Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, making this his first Valentino campaign, and mixes nudity in with clothed models. Creative directors Maria Grazie Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli opted for black-and-white and, for the first time, chose to shoot in the house’s historic Parisian headquarters in Place Vendôme. “The idea is that of an unexpectedly intimate black-and-white portrait with candid shots of unconventional, delicate and individual beauty and a more dangerous undercurrent,” said Chiuri. Added Piccioli, “We believe it is a very modern and feminine vision and we wanted to show each woman’s unique personal allure.”

The three models chosen to pose for the moody images are Freja Beha, Monika Jagaciak and Tati Cotlar, while Alex Gilbert provides the male presence. Each photo features two side-by-side shots of the same girl, one where she’s decked out in fall attire and the other naked, but cropped or posing to discreetly conceal her more intimate body parts — so magazines will run the ads."

Perhaps this news is a little less surprising than the Tom Ford Eyewear campaign news, but having Freja in a Valentino campaign is still out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, if this season is teaching us anything it's that Freja is truly one of the models of the moment.

Her campaign count so far is amazing:

Chanel Mainline
Chanel Eyewear
MaxMara
Balenciaga
Tom Ford Eyewear
Valentino

Quantity and quality of the brands, as all of them are top blue chip companies. As a longtime fan I'm overjoyed, but as always a little skeptical. Being "of the moment" carries an implicit connotation that the moment will end and you will be of the past before too long. Yes, I know I'm a strange fan because these are the first thoughts that run through my head. I think I've said it before on here, but market over saturation is never a good thing for the long term.

But maybe at this point it doesn't matter. Freja has proven herself to be indefatigable for the past five years, and all the success now is just part of the payoff, and part of the signs telling us she'll be around for another five years.

I guess I should just relax, revel in the moment and look forward to seeing the images roll in. Thoughts?