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

Redux: F/W 2007

What a strange season so far. All the places you expect to see Freja (Stella, Isabel) and all the places you don't expect to see her but hope to anyway (Givenchy, McQueen) have switched on us. Her absence at the two aforementioned shows is most certainly made up for by her appearance at the later two. Neither of which she's walked since the Fall/Winter 2007 season back in February of 2007. It's a redux! A strange, surreal but pleasant one.

Givenchy and Alexander McQueen 2007



Givenchy and Alexander McQueen (O) 2011

Amazing how someone can seemingly change so little on the outside over the course of four years. Lets do the time warp again. It's just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right, put your hands on your hips.....whoops sorry, off topic. Models must really have that mysterious and enviable ageless gene.

Anyway, just when you think you know what to expect, Freja changes it up on us again and reminds us to expect the unexpected when it comes to her. In all the time I've been blogging about her, overturned expectations is a constant theme. And yet somehow I'm still surprised each time. Maybe I should just make "Expecting the unexpected since 2005" this blog's motto. :)

Image Credits: style.com, vogue.it

The Eyes Have It

In light of the new Tom Ford Eyewear campaign, I think now is the perfect time to look back on Freja's illustrious track record in eyewear campaigns. If one thing is for sure, it's that her face was seemingly made to wear any eyewear no matter the size or shape. And yet we never lose sight of the fact that it's Freja behind all those different lenses, for her distinct nose and pronounced cupid's bow are true defining features that render her recognizable to even the most casual fan.

Hugo Boss SS06


Gucci SS06


Gucci Resort 0607


Gucci SS07


Gianfranco Ferre SS08


Joop SS08


Emporio Armani FW0809


Karl Lagerfeld SS09


Roberto Cavalli SS09


Chanel SS10


Karl Lagerfeld SS10


Tom Ford FW1011

Once again I feel like Freja is coming to define another paradox. She's subtle and malleable enough to model a wide variety of images, yet she's also distinct enough to be recognizable as an individual. It's this constant push pull between extremes that continues to make her so intriguing to me. And it provides endless fodder for all the rambling I do on this blog.

Anyway, I really do think that eyewear is one of the categories where Freja shines. When you see the structure and angles of her face in the different ads, there's just no denying that that face is a true model's face. Am I biased? Yeah, I most definitely am. But I also think that she wouldn't have been featured so many times for eyewear if something wasn't working. After all, the existence of all these campaigns and the people behind them must mean that I'm not alone in my thinking. Now I can't wait for the Chanel FW1011 eyewear campaign.

Image Credits: sources can be found in the image file name

Dip into the Archives

When it gets quiet in terms of news, I like to take the time to reflect and look back on the things that have led us to our present state. Fashion happens at such a break neck pace that it's easy to gloss over everything without fully comprehending anything. With the constant assault of images and ideas, I'm always so afraid I'll miss out on the beauty of a moment or the significance of an inspiration. This is why I think reflection is such an important tool. Some people might think it's just living in the past. But I think it's all about remembering how you got to the present.

Kaizerlich & Respect
Dansk #14 Summer 2007
Ph: Andreas Sjodin

What amazes me the most is the little paragraph on the image above. Reading it you'd think it could be describing the current state of Freja's career. But it was actually written three years ago. This kind of sustained popularity and relevance is so rare. Freja has changed a lot throughout her career from being feminine to being very androgynous to being a good mixture of both now. This is probably the reason she's been able to stay around for as long as she has because she's been quietly reinventing herself over and over, making herself seem new every few seasons. I don't know if that's just luck, excellent management, intrinsic talent or a combination of all three. What I do know is that it's pretty damn amazing. It's how you build a loyal (almost fanatical) following and keep the work coming at the highest level.

Freja has always seemed to be quieter and less attention garnering on the social front when you compare her to her model peers. But I'm glad that she's finally been getting the attention and recognition she deserves. People who may have written her off before are now finding new reasons to admire her and her work. And the best thing about it all is that it always seems to be on her own terms.

Image Credits: My scans

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

Blast from the Past

I came across an old editorial this weekend and I just had to post it:

Is It Better to be Alone?
Vogue Italia November 2005
Ph: Bruce Weber
(click for HQs)


This came pretty early in Freja's career, and it is so different from anything we've seen her do lately. It's amusing to think back to before she gained her reputation as a "rebel." Prior to the short hair, tattoos, and laid-back nonchalance, Freja was a wide-eyed, excited newbie just like all the other girls starting out. So naturally she would be placed in an editorial that looks like this.

The theme seems pretty conventional, but if you take the time to look there is definitely an ominous feeling that seeps throughout all the shots. The constantly changing model configurations gives a sense of unease and instability. Who is supposed to be with whom? Why is Freja the only female? Is she in danger? Or is she in control? Even at this early stage of her career, Freja brings this extra edge and mystery to a simple story concept. And isn't that the mark of a great model? The ability to be a blank slate and unique personality at the same time?

Anyway, I should really make a practice of looking at old editorials more often because I noticed some things I missed the first time around. In the second picture Freja's eyes are so light! It could just be the way the light is hitting them, but I've never seen them that way before and they're gorgeous. And in the seventh picture Freja reminds me so much of Kate Moss, especially in the two middle frames. I was really taken aback by how much she looks like Kate there and I've never seen any similarity between the two of them before.

I would love for Freja to be cast in another editorial like this right now. We rarely get to see her exuding this type of overt femininity because she's usually limited to being edgy, hard, or androgynous. Luckily we have old editorials to remind us that she's extremely versatile in that she can pull off both extremes of the gender role spectrum. And that is yet another mark of a great model.

Image Credits: bwgreyscale.com