Three Modern Brides

After a ridiculously quiet April in terms of magazine presence, Freja starts off May with a bang! She has one out of the three covers for Vogue UK's "royal wedding" issue and she shares posing duties for this multi-cover issue with Lara Stone and Natalia Vodianova. This marks Freja's second Vogue UK cover in less than a year.....congrats Freja!

Vogue UK May 2011 Cover
Ph: Mario Testino
Styling: Lucinda Chambers

Mediaweek.co.uk shares the concept of the issue with us:

"The 382-page issue, which hits newsstands on Thursday (7 April), has 152 ad pages – an increase of 40 ad pages compared to last year's issue.

Vogue is offering readers a choice of three covers featuring models Freja Beha Erichsen, Lara Stone, and Natalia Vodianova dressed as brides. The images are shot by Mario Testino.

The issue carries the coverline "Catherine Middleton, the making of a modern princess" and looks back at the magazine's 95-year history of covering royal weddings.

Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, said: "We spent a great deal of time discussing what our tribute to the marriage of Catherine Middleton and Prince William should be, and we came up with a delicious confection of all things matrimonial, a portfolio of white fashion and a completely indulgent trio of bridal covers with Natalia Vodianova, Lara Stone and Freja as the figureheads for this commemorative issue."

According to latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Vogue had an average net circulation of 211,277 for the six months to December 2010, which was up 0.4% year on year."

I make it strong habit not to talk about Freja's personal and private life on this blog. But I do want to very lightly touch on it right now if you'll allow. To have a woman like Freja represent a modern bride, a "figurehead for this commemorative issue" as Alexandra Shulman puts it, is such a wonderful and symbolic occurrence. Even though most of the mainstream public isn't privy to Freja's personal life and preferences, enough people are that having her on the cover of this issue shows a great sign of acknowledgment, progress and acceptance. Modern brides come in all different shapes, sizes, forms and lifestyles. So it's only fitting to have such three different models representing for the "royal wedding" issue, as the new royal couple seem so modern themselves (as far as British royal couples go). I could go on about the significance and meaning of it all, but like I said, I just wanted to lightly touch upon the subject.

Freja has come such a long way in the past year and a half. For a really long time she was pigeonholed and stereotyped into a modeling persona that I didn't really like at all, and I'll admit that it was frustrating to see certain tropes and characters of hers repeat over and over again, while other aspects of her potential were left untapped. But now things have changed drastically and I couldn't be more thrilled. Who would have ever thought Freja would be one of the three models picked to stand for a modern bride on the Vogue UK issue coming out on the eve of the biggest wedding in recent times? It even boggles my mind.

And with Vogue UK circulation up for the year (a year that included Freja's solo cover), it's just more and more good news for Freja, her marketability and her ability to sell. She has really come into her own as a model and a true contemporary icon for this current generation. It is of course too early to tell how indelible her mark will be on the long strands of history, but for the time being we can revel in Freja's successes and what they mean for our modern times, right here and now.

Image Credits: mediaweek.co.uk, vogue.co.uk via tFS memer IAmLordZen

A Construction Worker Who Collects Rocks

Since we're sitting firmly in the quiet that comes post show season and pre campaign casting frenzy, I thought I'd share this snapshot of Freja from five years ago:

"Has been modeling for a year. Would have been a construction worker in a nother life. Lives in Copenhagen, Addicted to shopping and sleeping. Collects beach rocks. Q: Which three things would you take with you to a desert island? A: My lover, my bed and a private jet, so I could leave if I got bored."

File this under things I didn't know: Freja used to (or still does?) collect beach rocks. I love digging up old stuff like this because it's so interesting to think of how a person develops and what changes they go through in a lifetime, or even in a matter of a few years. And with models, it's so rare that they're actually around long enough for us to fondly remember their "early years" and look back on their career trajectory with such nostalgia. In this context, 2006 seems like ages ago, doesn't it?

If this snapshot were done today, I wonder what things would change and what things would remain the same? Everything would probably change, because that's what humans do; we change. Even if we look the same on the outside, our daily experiences shift us little by little until we're new versions of ourselves. So I'm going take a venture and propose that this snapshot would read something like this today:

"Has been modeling for 6 years. Would have been a musician in another life. Lives in New York. Addicted to her Balenciaga leather jacket and cigarettes. Collects Guitars." :)

As for the question of things to take to a desert island, your guess is as good as mine. In another five years, maybe things will read in an entirely different manner. But that's all just part of the fun; because in the end, the change and uncertainty is what keeps things relevant and keeps all of us tuned in for the ride.

Image Credits: My scan

Models Can be Fans Too

I know some of you are probably disappointed that Freja didn't walk in the big FNO runway show yesterday, but did you really expect her too? Her track record with Vogue (read Anna Wintour) organized events is such that an appearance yesterday would have been completely surprising and out of the ordinary. Never one to show up at the Met Gala or anything of that nature, Freja's partial existence outside the fashion establishment is what keeps her intriguing and mysterious.

Even though Anna doesn't seem to be a fan, there are plenty of other people willing to sing Freja's praises. The latest to join the bunch is supermodel Yasmin Le Bon. You might know her as the wife of Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon....and if you've never heard of Duran Duran, then you're either beyond saving or too young to be reading this blog.

According to Vogue UK:

"It is Vogue cover star Freja Beha Erichsen, however, that gets Le Bon's favourite model vote.

'There aren't many dark-haired, dark-eyed girls around so when they do come about they need to be exceptionally good, which Freja is'"

It's not much, but it's still always nice to hear Freja being admired by people within the industry. Kind of makes me feel like I got it right, you know?

On the Beauty of Magazines

I finally got around to picking up a copy of Freja's Vogue UK. My encounter with this particular issue is just going to reiterate how important I think it is to buy actual magazines because the viewing experience is so much more enriching and fulfilling than just seeing the images online. The colors seem more vibrant, the glossiness of the paper adds dimension and having a tangible object in your hands makes the images look better......at least to me. You're also privy to more information about the images you're viewing, making for a more robust experience. Case in point: The editor's letter and contributors pages tell us what people think about Freja, and they tell us about the context and inspiration for her editorial.

I feel like I was destined to love this editorial because it combines two of my (and probably the vast majority of twenty-something females') interests: art and fashion. I know this isn't a novel concept by any means, but I feel like rarely do we get to see the connection and conversation between the two so pronounced as it is in this editorial. Josh Olins took his cue from English figurative painter Euan Uglow. Knowing this tiny, but significant, fact changes things completely. I now look at the editorial with new eyes and the images take on new significance, especially when compared with their inspirational source:

If you read about Uglow and his artistic process, Olin's photographs don't seem so simple in their appearance anymore. My previous thoughts on the editorial read Freja's positions and poses as the best way to display the clothes. But I found this particular bit about Eglow's working methods particularly enlightening:

"Planes are articulated very precisely, edges are sharply defined, and colours are differentiated with great subtlety. His type of realism has its basis in geometry...."

That's from his Wikipedia page. (I have better researching skills but considering my lack of time and library resources, that will have to do.) Freja was posed that way to emulate the figures in Uglow's work. The planes, sharp edges and colors also happen to be great ways to show off new looks for the upcoming season. :) Fashion and art intersect in so many ways that it's a pity the same respect and scholarly seriousness hasn't been accorded to fashion like it has been to art....but that's a whole other story.

In case you want to know, here's what Josh said about Freja on the Contributors Page:

"I'm really glad my first cover is with Freja. She's beautiful but boyish, and has this great repertoire of innocent and feminine expressions. She'll sit down and look grumpy, but when you take the picture she looks captivating."

And here's what Alexandra Schulman said in her Editor's Letter:

"We all admire Freja for her distinctive looks, which stand out amoung the sea of pretty, tawny-haired models that often prevail on the catwalk. Photographer Josh Olins's shoot, featuring autumn's off-beat colour mixes, is the perfect vehicle for her boy/girl allure."

Mentioning Freja and "boyishness" has become too easy and trite that's it's completely lost all meaning for me. I wish people would start to move away from that because it dilutes the meaning of the term, and frankly I think it's a misuse. In her modeling work I really don't see how she's more boyish than any other model. Hilary Rhoda and Isabeli Fontana (no offense to them) have the manliest jaws in the industry but they're both considered "sexy." Maybe the term is in reference to her body, but in editorials where she's wearing clothes to cover that up it becomes a non-issue. Maybe it's in reference to her demeanor in person and on set, and for that I have no factual basis to judge that on. It just don't get it, so please someone enlighten me. Moving on....

This instance just strengthens my resolve to continue buying magazines because the industry cannot die out. If I had not bought this issue I never would have read about the Uglow reference. It would be a travesty to lose the print industry; not just magazines but books as well. Having something in my hands forces me to read it and absorb it more than I would have if it was just on the screen. (The irony of me using a digital method to communicate this message isn't lost on me.) Technology is wonderful and it gives us so many things, but to completely lose the preciousness and uniqueness of certain experiences in the haste towards progress and technological trends would be a huge mistake. It doesn't have to be one or the other. People can have i-Pads and e-readers and still buy magazines and books, with both mediums working in concert to create a complete and total experience. Or maybe I'm just too old-school and living in a dream world....

Image Credits: Scans by tFS member fearless123, artnet.com, marlboroughfineart.com, telegraph.co.uk

More Than a Clothes Hanger

Maybe my perception is a bit skewed, but doesn't it seem like models are once again back in the spotlight as individuals with personalities? Definitely not back to the level of the 1990's Supermodels, but no where near as cold and dismissive as the early 2000's felt. These days it feels like people everywhere want to hear what models have to say, wear what they wear, and follow every turn of their career.

I know this is all anecdotal evidence, but the model threads on tFS are exploding with hyper activity. Just think of a model (besides Freja) in your head and you can bet that someone has created a "fuckyeah" tumblr in her honor. It just feels like models at all levels of the industry are gaining in recognition and success (i.e. Rosie HW cast in the new Transformers movie and models edging out celebs in campaigns). Does it feel like this to anyone else, or is it just me?

I realize that my perception might be more than a bit skewed because I keep up with a lot of agencies and new models for fun (yes, for fun...I'm weird like that), so I always have models on my mind. And maybe this is why they seem to be more prominent to me, buoyed along by an internet culture conducive to the cultivation of niches that are otherwise too specialized to have warranted attention before. We can practically trace Freja's career from the very beginning, with only a few holes here and there. But with a model like Missy Rayder, who's career height came before the internet played such a huge role in fashion and models, the early days of her career aren't nearly as well documented. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I sense a new era where models are once again becoming celebrities in their own right.

The eminent Cathy Horyn seems to sense a small part of this as well. Just read the opening sentences of her write up on the Valentino HC show:

"A thick mob of people, mostly young and nearly all clutching cameras, stood in the blazing 6 p.m. sun outside the entrance to the Valentino Show in the Place Vendôme. They extended to the curb, and guests had to walk through a narrow path the onlookers seemed reluctant to provide. Liz Hurley was inside, in a pretty fuchsia slip dress, but most of the other V.I.P.’s were young socialites and, of course, models. The throng was waiting for them, a glimpse of someone famous and beautiful."

So maybe I'm not too off the mark here. For when did a model like Freja, a model who isn't Kate Moss or being touted as the next big thing a la Lara Stone, become popular enough to garner a two page cover feature in one of the big Vogues?? Just think about it for a moment, and you'll see how amazing it is all things considered. She's popular to be sure, but definitely not what you would call "mainstream." So the fact that Vogue UK put her on their cover and wrote a feature story on her says something, don't you think? Model as an individual. Model as a voice. Model as role model. Model as more than just a clothes hanger.

A few excerpts stuck out to me:

"Face to face, Freja's personality is harder to discern. Although she embodies an intoxicating cool, she's shy, reserved and defensive about her privacy in a way that doesn't invite girly conversation. While her slouch suggests someone who isn't entirely at east with her five feet 10 inches (she was 5ft 9in by the age of 12), she has fantastic command of her body in front of the camera."

Taking the above into account, I wonder how Freja would feel if she knew this blog existed? Now I'm SO glad that I've always made it a point to stay away from her private life and focus instead on her work. But if she's as private as they say she is, even such an intense focus on her work is probably disconcerting. People say work is work, but as a model your work is your body. You model long enough (do anything long enough for that matter) and it becomes part of you, nearly inseparable from the way you define yourself. So maybe the intense scrutiny over Freja's work on this blog constitutes a different kind of invasion of privacy? I don't know. I haven't received any ceased and desist letters yet so.....

"'Freja is entirely her own person,' says photographer Josh Olins. 'I love to photographer her. What you see at first is this tough boyishness, but then comes something else, a sensitive, softer side. She's beautifully androgynous.' For all this boy-talk, though, Freja is very pretty, with baby-soft olive skin, a high forehead and deep brown eyes that flicker when her fringe skims her lashes. 'Freja's innate sense of style somehow translates into the way she is photographed,' adds Vogue's fashion director Lucinda Chambers. 'She is one of only a handful of models who have this unique combination of a strong personality and look, while at the same time being a total chameleon.'"

I knew I loved Lucinda for a reason. This is exactly what I've been saying, and what I try to explore, on this blog. I feel justified, and not so crazy for posting all my long babbling posts. :) Anyway, the article is a great read so make sure to check it out if you haven't already. There are lots of great tidbits about Freja in there, including bits about her upbringing, her family and her hobbies. She comes across very well on the page, just like she did on film. Memorable, funny and endearing enough to convert the naysayers and win over new fans.

Image Credits: scans by tFS member fearless123

A Winning Combination

Great editorial to match a great cover. No complaints from me here. I love everything about this, especially the second shot with Freja reclining so haphazardly. She's looking as fresh faced and beautiful as ever, very much the woman I've always known her to be. Freja, Lucinda and Josh is a combination I can get used to:

Colour Shock
Vogue UK August 2010
Ph: Josh Olins
Styling: Lucinda Chambers

Part of the reason I love Freja's work with Josh is that he seems to draw out a fluidity of movement in her that no one else does. If you look at all three of their editorials together (first on here, second one here), Freja has expanded her posing repertoire and been more innovative in her movements. I really believe that's a result of Josh's direction and what he wants/requires from the models he shoots. This vibrancy is quite kinetic and maybe sometimes a little awkward, but always organic to the story at hand. The lines of the body draw your eye in, and while you look at the angle of limbs or the skewed positions of hands and feet, you also begin to see the clothing. It's a great way to display clothes on a model's body. A lot better than just dressing her up in one designer from head-to-toe and telling her to jump.

The styling is perhaps a little safe, but the first few editorials showcasing new season looks always have to be. These are the first time the clothes are displayed in the magazines and to the "general public," so of course you don't want to over style them or mix and match them too much to the point where they're unrecognizable. Expose them and show them in all their glory, and cultivate that desire for consumption that you do so well Fashion.

The colors are a dream though (as well as those Balenciaga heels), proving the talents of Lucinda once again. So bright, fresh and light. Not only does she manage to take Fall/Winter clothing and create a story appropriate for the summer release of this issue, she also makes the clothes express a whimsy and cool, refreshing quality that belies their colder weather purpose. Lucinda is the type of stylist who makes you realize that it isn't always just the photographer or model who makes or breaks an editorial. Styling plays a large, albeit much less obvious, role as well. From the first time Freja and Lucinda worked together back in September of 2005 to this time nearly 5 years later, I can honestly say it's a working relationship that I love and always look forward to seeing because it never disappoints me. Think of all the great work Freja has done for the magazine, and nearly every instance you'll see Lucinda credited as the stylist. It's really an amazing history and I never want to see it end.

Well folks, after a bit of a quiet spell for the months of May, June and July, it appears that Freja is back in full force and ready to tackle the Fall fashion months ahead! Couple this with all the ad campaigns breaking and Haute Couture shows starting shortly (Monday, July 5th!!) and we've got enough Freja news to hold us over until the SS10 runway show season.

Image Credits: scans via tFS member fearless123

A Long Time Coming

It's about damn time.

Vogue UK August 2010
Ph: Josh Olins

I love this cover and think Freja looks great. I tend to be overly critical sometimes, but my first immediate and visceral reaction after I saw this was utter joy. Maybe that was partly in reaction to the "finally!" aspect of this cover, but I also think it was in reaction to the fresh summer appeal of this cover.

So many times it seems like magazines forget to take into account the season/month they released their issues. But for the month of August, Vogue UK has produced a wonderfully light and appealing cover with a model generally known more for her edge and broodiness. The only one small complaint I have about this cover is in regards to the placement of the title text. It's a little unfortunate that the bottom curve of the "G" lines up with Freja's face in such a way as to make her eyebrow seem overly arched. It kind of makes it look like she's raising one brow in an expression of surprise or mischief. But the rest looks great, including her hair. For once it looks like a stylist did something with it, instead of just leaving it as one big, overwhelming mop (see Max Mara ads).

It's also wonderful to see Freja continuing to counter the old androgynous image that we had of her for so long. All of her work since this second career rejuvenation has shown us what a talented and versatile model she truly is. To only see her femininity now is to basically ignore and insult everything she's done for the past year or so (not to mention the entire beginning half of her career), and to denigrate her skills as a model. She has been expanding her modeling range and taking her image down new avenues for a while now....I just wish people would give her more credit for that.

Anyway, I love that Josh Olins shot this, and he's a photographer who I'm happy to see Freja work more with (unlike Terry but more on that later). Their last time together produced this little gem. Kudos Vogue UK for finally putting Freja on your cover! She's done a lot of good work for you throughout her career so it's definitely well deserved. Now, if only Vouge Paris will follow your lead and put Raquel on their cover....

Image Credit: scan via tFS member Chanelcouture09

High Praise

In a video interview about the February 2010 Vogue UK cover shoot featuring Natalia Vodianova, Nick Knight happens to bestow some high praise on Freja.

"Natalia is one of those models like Kate or Naomi or Freja who are just fantastic. They know how to express themselves. First of all they interpret the narrative of a piece of clothing really interestingly. And that's one of the main things the model does. Models are kind of an interesting mixture of very, very good actresses (oh really?) and very good sportspeople."

Check it out @1:20

That's quite the compliment coming from someone who's only photographed Freja for two editorials (Pop Hit for Vogue UK March 2007 and About a Boy for Vogue UK April 2008). She must have made quite the impression in order to have Nick lump her in with models like Kate, Naomi and Natalia (who are arguably the last of the supermodels). I hope this means that we'll be seeing a Knight lensed editorial sometime in Freja's near future. Or maybe they just recently worked together which is why Freja was so fresh on his mind? (Hmmmm.....keep those eyes peeled.)

Lately Freja has been expanding her oeuvre in terms of photographers who she's worked with (think Demarchelier, Meisel, Olins, Richardson, Summerton) so adding Knight to the list again would be quite lovely. If not for an editorial, then perhaps a multimedia project for SHOWstudio? It's been quite a while since the last one Freja did for Knight's online forum that has the the lofty goal of expanding fashion film parameters.

"Writing on the Wall"

Anyway, being a successful model has as much to do with the people who support you as it has to do with what qualities and talents you bring to the table. With regards to Freja, perhaps I focus too much on the later and not enough on the former. I've mentioned Freja fans in the industry before (Alexander Wang, Marcus and David of Rag & Bone, Stella McCartney and artist Chantal Joffe, Vogue UK's Jaime Perlman) but I've done so in a very flippant way. Well, not only are these people fans; they're also supporters and I'm guessing that a good measure of Freja's success is owed to them and the many others in the industry who have supported her since her early years. People like Russell Marsh who gave Freja her first runway exclusive with Prada her first season, Michelle Lee of KCD who repeatedly casts Freja for the Marc Jacobs shows, and Freja's mother agent Jeppe at Unique Copenhagen. Of course, you can have all the right people backing you, but if you don't have the goods as a model your career will fade away just as quickly as it lit up. Luckily, Freja has both components: a strong foundation of supporters and a huge reservoir of talent. This is why she's been successfully modeling for half a decade.

Nevertheless, I'm not so naive and caught up in my own fandom as to think that everyone loves Freja. I know that some people don't get her appeal and I have no trouble understanding and accepting that (but if you're reading this you're probably not one of those people). Luckily the people who count, in terms of models getting booked for work, do get it. The people that have a say in which model we see in whatever campaign, editorial, and runway show all seem to see what we Freja fans see. And knowing that doesn't make me feel so weird about having such a singularly focused blog. I get enough heartache and disappointment whenever I see my lesser known model favs fade, so it's good to be a part of the vast majority when it comes to Freja. You know...if she ever stops working or decides to pull a SS08/SS09 again and partially skip another season, a lot of people are going to be inconsolable. Fortunately things seem to be going in our favor.....for now.

Credits: Vogue UK video via rox_yr_sox @ tFS

A Modeling Model

One of the things I enjoy the most about Freja's recent panoply of editorials is that they have given us the opportunity to see her work with people she doesn't normally work with. Patrick Demarchelier is the example here, and even though this new editorial isn't the most brilliant breakthrough of Freja's career, it is solidly decent, something different and shows us another side to her modeling skill.

Urban Renewal
Vogue UK April 2010
Ph: Patrick Demarchelier
Stylist: Lucinda Chambers

I'm a big fan of Lucinda's work and this editorial is no exception. It also helps that I absolutely love, love, love the trend towards modern, wearable, minimalistic clothes that real women who have real jobs can seamlessly integrate into their existing wardrobes (thank you Phoebe Philo!!). The clothes are straightforward and the styling, photography and model poses coincide with that aesthetic. Freja was the perfect girl for this shoot because I think her face personifies the mood of the layout; sleek, refined and modern, but not at the expense of being interesting.

Sure, it isn't ground breaking, but not every thing has to be. Sometimes you just want to see a good fashion spread with desirable clothes modeled by someone who knows what she's doing. Someone who's using her body in the best possible way to display the clothes. And lest we forget, that is the foundation of Freja's job after all, and she's damn good at it. For all the focus that's put on her personal life, who she's seen with and what she looks like off-duty, I can't help but feel that her abilities as a model are just an afterthought. I hope I'm wrong about this...and now that I think about it, that's probably the best summation as to why this blog exists. It's to bring the focus back to the work! Sorry for the tangent....

Anyway, Patrick's style can get very boring and repetitive, but under the styling hands of Lucinda I think this editorial is able to escape the mundane pitfalls of being just another plain studio edit. His style is distinct though. I see similarities between this editorial and the editorial that resulted from the last time Freja and Patrick worked together.

Proof that a photographer's direction has a lot to do with the way a model models? Yes, I definitely think so. Proof that Freja takes direction well and it easily malleable to different visions? Yes, I absolutely think so. Her body and her face are the creative vehicles and here she shows us that they are tuned up and in fine driving form.

By the way, who else thinks that Freja is waaaaay past due for a Vogue UK cover? Alexandra Shulman, the Freja fans are watching you. Don't let us down! You too Jaime Perlman. I know you're a fan....make it happen! (Hey, the return to femininity eventually happened after I griped about it many times last year. Maybe this will happen too, after I spend all of this year complaining about it. Ha!)

Image Credits: Beautiful scans of April issue of Vogue UK by tFS member fearless123, other scans by me

Dominance

If you've been keeping track, Freja's opened and/or closed 13 shows so far this season. She's coming awfully close to her SS07 season's career best of opening and/or closing for 17 different shows. This dominance on the runway is completely amazing and more than a little mind boggling. It's not like Freja's the new "it" girl. This is her 11th season now, which is ancient in modeling time. And it's not like she's still walking 5 shows a day. Her opening and closing rate is even more impressive when you consider the relatively small number of shows she's done, as compared to a girl like Jac who's done a lot more. I can't even begin to come up with a reason for all of this, so all I'm going to say is wow.....just wow.

This dominance isn't just limited to the runway though. It's extends into magazines as well. Freja's final "March Magazine Madness" editorial count comes to 6 and 1 cover. It's 8 and 2 covers if you count the seasonal editions of Purple and Numero Homme. Think about how ridiculous those numbers are for one month's worth of magazines! Freja has literally been bursting off the pages of all the major pubs: Vogue US, Vogue Italia, Vogue UK, Vogue Nippon, Vogue China, and W Magazine. The only major one that's missing from that list is Vogue Paris, but she had that covered in February. And the work just keeps coming with an upcoming editorial in the April 2010 issue of Vogue UK. Amazing, and tiring. Hopefully this all translates into some good campaigns for the FW1011 season.

After coming out of nowhere with 5 campaigns during the FW0910 season, Freja only scored Chanel during the SS10 season. Ha...listen to me. Only Chanel? Having a Chanel campaign would be any model's dream, and I talk like Freja had to settle for it. I shouldn't be so greedy and obnoxious sounding. Anyway, having lots of runway and print work is good, but campaigns are what matter in terms of model money and status. So I really hope that all of Freja's hard work during the past few months is not all for naught, and that she is well rewarded. Frankly speaking, I would be thrilled if she only booked Chanel again, because holding that campaign 3 seasons in a row (5 times total) is unheard of. Come on Karl, don't let me down now! I know I like to give you shit, but it's all in the name of love. I know you've been Freja's biggest supporter throughout her career so please don't stop now.

But of course, I can't help but to hope for some other campaign. Something new. Something unexpected. Something wonderful. And I think it could be possible now that Meisel is photographing Freja. I want to throw out some brand names, but I'm going to restrain myself because it's way too early to be speculating about campaigns and I don't want to jinx anything....although it's not like I have that kind of power. Anyway, if you're willing to take the risk, I'd love to hear your campaign wishes for Freja. ;) And we only have two days left to see if Freja can break her own record of openings/closings, so savor the moments because FW will be over before you know it!

Freja, Lucinda and Josh

Freja continues her long running Vogue UK relationship with a new editorial.

Cyber Tribe
Vogue UK, March 2010
Ph: Josh Olins

The colors! The feminine styling! Freja has finally moved firmly away from the androgyny that was (in my opinion) stifling her abilities and limiting the work she got. It's great to see her in a beautiful editorial like this. Even though it might not be the most inspired one ever, it's a welcome change of pace. And the people at Vogue UK sure do know how to do a studio editorial right.

A thing that immediately struck me about this is the prominence accorded to Freja's tattoos. In some pictures they seem to be as much of a focal point as the clothes are. I suppose when you've been in the industry for half a decade, the people who book you know what they're getting and are more apt to let your personal aspects shine through. Anyway, it takes an editorial like this to remind me what a great print model Freja is. Her face is just subtle enough that she can take a variety of looks, yet powerful enough that she doesn't get overwhelmed by her surroundings. All the different angles of her face photograph well, and she's gotten better at posing too. But that's probably partly attributable to the photographer. If you compare this editorial to the last one Freja shot with Josh, you'll see some similarities.

You rarely see Freja like this in, say, an editorial by Karl. So it shows us that she's capable of giving the photographer exactly what he/she wants, which is something all great models can do. It doesn't matter if you have the right look; if you can't work well with people then you're nothing more than a one-season wonder at best.

This piece was edited/styled by Lucinda Chambers, who also styled one of my favorite Freja eds from last year. I think she has this signature style that seems haphazard at first glance, but quickly moves into wonderful cohesion the more you look. Anyone can throw black on black on white together, but successfully styling prints, patterns and colors together is a completely different story. It takes a bold eye and lots of experience, which Lucinda has. After all, she's been working with Freja since the beginning of her career with the first editorial she shot for Vogue UK. Since then she's basically styled/edited almost everything Freja's done with the magazine. So with their amazing track record of working together (especially in what has to be my favorite Freja editorial ever), I truly look forward to the next thing they'll produce because you can bet it will be visual wonder.

Image Credits: Scans by tFS member fearless123 and tFS member Carla-A