Rick Owens and Zombies

The two kind of seem to go hand in hand, no? But here I'm only putting them together arbitrarily for the sake of this post.

First of all, Freja is in Shanghai for the Chanel show. Can't you just hear the collective screams of girlish glee emanating from China? We only have a couple of backstage shots so far:

Interesting to note that Freja is sporting a real Rick Owens leather jacket now. The one she previously wore was done in the Rick Owens style, but it wasn't actually one. It could have been this Vince jacket, but I'm not sure. The differences are subtle but palpable once you see them side by side. I know a lot of people were getting their jackets confused, but Rick ones are very distinctive...at least to me.

I feel like every time we see Freja she's wearing something new but of course in black. Typical of her to change up her style yet simultaneously keep it the same. :) It's that balance that she seems to strike so well in her modeling, her personality and even in her street wear.

Secondly, if you've ever wanted to see what Zombie Freja would look like, check out the previews from Fashematic's new zine, Fashematical:

They took her Lanvin SS10 appearance as inspiration. According to the site, the zine is "a collection of illustrations reinterpreting the stars of the catwalk as part of either a horde of zombies or an army of robots, hell-bent on taking planet Earth for themselves."

I love when it when people can see the fun in fashion. After all, we can't all be serious all the time (That's something that I know I can be guilty of with my long, musing posts about Freja's place in the industry). I wonder how Freja would feel about her zombie rendering? Personally I find it cool and kind of flattering.

Anyway, after a little drought of news, it seems Freja is back in full force.

Image Credits: net-a-porter, saks, women.sohu.com, fashematics, style.it

2009 in Editorials

As we approach the end of 2009 (and since magazines are already putting out their 2010 issues) I thought it would be nice to do a recap of Freja's editorial work for the year.

(click the titles to see the eds)

JANUARY
1. Vogue Nippon, "The Rise of the Cyber Patrol" by Nathaniel Goldberg
2. Vogue Italia, "Individuallure" by Glen Lucford also featuring Eniko Mihalik

FEBRUARY
3. Harper's Bazaar US, "Hits of the Season" by Greg Kadel also featuring Coco Rocha
4. i-D Magazine, "Clean Living" by Collier Schorr
5. Vogue Nippon, Cover by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

MARCH
6. Numero #101, "Couture" by Karl Lagerfeld also featuring Heidi Mount
7. Vogue Korea, Cover and "Supernatural" by Jason Kibbler
8. V Magazine #58, "Pride and Glory" by Jean-Francois Campos also featuring various other models

APRIL
9. Madame Figaro #385, Unknown Title by Ben Watts

JULY
10. Vogue Nippon, "My Cowgirl Hero" by Solve Sundsbo

AUGUST
11. Vogue UK, "Milan" by Patrick Demarchelier also featuring Sasha Pivovarova

SEPTEMBER
12. Vogue UK, "Enter the Dinner Dress" by Javier Vallhonrat
13. Vogue Russia, "I Remember" by Willy Vanderperre
14. Purple Magazine Fall 2009, Cover and "Best of the Season" by Terry Richardson also featuring Abbey Lee Kershaw, Eniko Mihalik and Magdalena Frackowiak
15. V Magazine #61, "Copenhagen" by Christian Brylle also featuring various other models
16. V Magazine #61, "Live From New York" by Mario Sorrenti also featuring Sasha Pivovarova

OCTOBER
17. Vogue Germany, "Asta Nielsen" by Karl Lagerfeld
18. Vogue Germany, "Monokel Diele" by Karl Lagerfeld also featuring Heidi Mount
19. W Magazine, "Art and Commerce" by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin also featuring Raquel Zimmermann
20. Numero #107, "Too Cool for School" by Josh Olins

NOVEMBER
21. Harper's Bazaar US, "What's Glam Now" by Karl Lagerfeld
22. Twin Magazine #1 "Stand and Deliver" by Boo George

DECEMBER
23. Vogue Italia, "Feeling..." by Steven Meisel (!!!)

What's impressive to me is both the quantity and quality of Freja's work at this stage in her career. She debuted in 2005 and four years later she's still going strong. Perhaps this signals Freja as one of the few models who is able to transcend the trendy and transition into respected longevity? I guess only time will tell us for sure how indelible her mark on fashion will be.

After looking back at all the names and publications Freja worked with this year, my only wish is that we saw her working more with the three big Vogues--US, Paris, and Italia. I know we can completely discount Vogue US ever happening, but her omission from Vogue Paris and near omission from Vogue Italia is disappointing to me, especially when you consider the wonderful work she produced for them early on in her career. And this is why I think she's grossly underrated as a model when you compare her to colleagues of her status and popularity like Natasha, Sasha, Lily, Raquel and Lara.

Freja is well known enough but she hasn't quite reached that threshold where it's a given that she'll only be working with the best month after month. In fact, if it weren't for Karl I don't know how much work we'd be seeing from her. And often times I think her popularity among fans is mainly fueled by rumors, gossip and whatever personal ideals we see embodied in her, rather than by a grounding in her work and career development. Not that that's necessarily bad, but I just think the fandom is too extreme in one direction and not enough in the other. And if I've learned anything in life it's that balance is the key. Having dedicated fans is great, but without serious backing from people like Carine and Anna, how much longer can Freja last? And you'd think that with the fervor over her in China she'd at least have more coverage in Vogue China. Maybe someone should channel all that extraneous energy over there into a letter writing campaign for the Vogue China cover....just a thought.

With the luxury of retrospect at our disposal, it's much easier to see the variety and range of Freja's work. Any favorite eds? Least favorites? Who do you think she works best with? And whether you like it or not, retrospect also makes it easier to discern the androgynous thread that unrelentingly runs through most of Freja's work. Hopefully though, this upcoming year will allow her some opportunities to snip away at this thread.

Anyway, I think I've covered all the editorials, but if I've left something out please let me know. 2009 started off very well for Freja so let's hope 2010 will be the same. And if Freja can replicate the type of fabulous and diverse work she did during the month of September, I think she'll be well on her way towards cementing her status at the top and ensuring her longevity in the industry for as longs she wants...assuming that that's what she wants.

Freja Fridays

I've added a new feature on the side of this blog. I'm linking to blogs I know of that do Freja Fridays. So far there are only three: Skinny Intern (the originator of this concept), Nova Style, and now You + Eye, the newest addition. The creator of this last blog has great backstage pictures of Freja that he will post until he runs out, so make sure to check back on fridays for his exclusive and beautiful shots.

It will be interesting to see if this list grows. Tips on more blogs are of course appreciated. :) I think it's such a great concept and also a wonderful way to reacquaint yourself with Freja's large oeuvre. Anyway, Happy Freja Friday!

All's Quiet

Things have been very quiet on the news front recently, and I imagine that they'll remain so as things slowly grind to a halt in preparation for this week's Thanksgiving holiday. Chanel events will be taking place in China, but it remains to be seen whether Freja will be present for any of the festivities.

So I'd just like to take this time to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the time spent with family and friends. Enjoy stuffing yourself silly with the requisite turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. And most of all, enjoy your four day weekend. :) I hope everyone travels safe and stays healthy, happy and warm.

And if watching football after eating turkey isn't your thing (it's definitely not mine), you can always check youtube for all the videos that fellow fashion fans have graciously uploaded. There are some great backstage ones (with small glimpses of Freja) from...

Lanvin


Balmain

Chloe

Videos courtesy of youtube user Yanihartonen

Circle of Friends

Following up this old post about Freja's model friendships, check out this excerpt from a new interview Abbey Lee did with i-D Magazine:

Living away from home have you found it easy to make new friendships with girls and boys in the industry? Are there other models you're particularly close to?
This job demands constant spontaneous travel with very little notice. That makes it incredibly hard to be reliable and committed to friends so unfortunately I've found it difficult to be part of a friendship family. I'm tight with Miss Daisy Lowe who is like a soulmate, Karlie Kloss is like my baby sister and Cat McNeil is my true mate. I'm also close with Freja when we are both in the same city and Karmen Pedaru. Jonatan Frenk is a male model friend of mine, he has a golden heart so he's especially good for the hard times.

I think it's so sweet that a little model friendship circle is slowly emerging here with Abbey, Freja and Karmen as the major players. It's nice to know that many of the models I admire also admire each other. And it's also reassuring that there's seems to be a support system here, because (as recent events remind us) fashion can be a very tough, lonely and harsh world.

Since all three models now live in New York, all you New Yorkers better keep your eyes peeled for what would be the best model sighting ever. Can you imagine that? Abbey, Freja and Karmen all walking down the street together?

Anyway, here's the full interview for anyone who's interested in reading it (as always, click through to enlarge):

And if you watch the video here, at 2:45 you can hear Abbey talk about her model friendships and at 3:02 you can see a clip of Abbey and Freja hanging out backstage at Sonia Rykiel.

Image Credits: Scan by tFS member Northern Star, video courtesy of lamagnifiquemode @ youtube

A Moment of Reflection

I know this isn't Freja related, but I just wanted to say Rest In Peace Daul Kim. My heart goes out to your family, your friends, your fans and the countless lives that you have inevitably touched through your existence and your work. I hope you are in a better place now, where the problems that plagued you in this world no longer exist. Fashion has lost one of it's unique and shining stars, and you will be sorely missed.

And in other sad news, Jeanne-Claude of Cristo and Jeanne-Claude fame has also passed away. May she also Rest In Peace. I was lucky enough to experience The Gates firsthand back in 2005, and I will never forget how beautiful and inspirational they were. It happened to be snowing that day, and I have ever seen anything more breathtaking than those orange gates set against the white, fluttering snow in Central Park. Hopefully some of you got to experience the wonderful work she did too. The art world seems less vibrant and colorful now that you're gone Jeanne-Claude.

The creative worlds of fashion and art have been dealt two tremendous blows with the loss of these women. We should all take the time to reflect on their work, and what they meant to their respective fields. And we should also take the time to appreciate what we have. Go call up a friend and tell them how much they mean to you. Go hug your family members and tell them how much you love them. If we can learn anything from death, it's that we must appreciate the people that make our lives worth living before it's too late.

Image Credits: style.com, nytimes

Stand and Deliver.....Sort Of

I'm going to preface this post by saying that Freja will always be my favorite model. I love the idealized persona she represents, the niche she fills within the fashion industry, her projected sense of complete self confidence, and her resolve to stay true to herself. In many ways I owe my interest in and love of fashion to her, and for that I will be forever grateful.

But I think I'm going through a little rough patch in my Freja fandom. I haven't really liked any of her editorial work in a while and the new Twin Magazine ed is no different.

Stand and Deliver
Twin Magazine #1
Ph: Boo George

I don't know why I haven't been able to get excited about her editorial work recently. I see her eds and I'm happy because she's getting new work. But I save the images out of habit, not because they're so stunning that I just have to have them for posterity. As soon as I saw this new editorial, images from an older one immediately popped into my mind. The slight similarities in mood, makeup and look were striking enough to draw up the comparison. And while I was looking back at this particular ed I remembered what it felt like when I used to love everything Freja did.

Individuallure (excerpts and not the full ed)
Vogue Italia Supplement March 2008
Ph: Paolo Roversi

vs.



vs.



vs.



vs.

This isn't Freja's fault, but the Twin editorial seems over-styled (fashion wise) and over-stylized (photo wise). The contrast and hues, in the black and white images especially, are overly pronounced to the point where they're distracting. And honestly, I'm so tired of Freja playing the same type of role over and over again. She has the talent and range to go more feminine, and I just wish people would give her the chance to do it more often. I realize that it's probably a bit unfair to use Paolo Roversi's editorial as a benchmark, but it shows the freshness, excitement, and inspirational beauty that I miss seeing.

I'm sorry to sound so negative, but maybe letting all of this out will get it out of my system. It's just that the fan adoration for Freja has gotten to be too much for me. The constant chorus of unanimous praise and the near-religious levels of devotion are rubbing me the wrong way and perhaps pushing my fandom in the other direction. I also feel the law of inverse proportion at play here in that the more work Freja gets, the less I get excited. Or maybe this is simply a manifestation of human nature--you always want what you can't have, but the second you get it you want something else.

Then again, as a fan I should be allowed to be critical. In fact, I think it's my duty and just because I don't like all of Freja's work doesn't mean I'm any less of a fan for it. Someone should say that Freja looks tired and worn out in this new editorial. Someone should say that she looks overworked and drained. Someone should say that they can't feel the heart behind the work. Someone should say that it feels like she's just going through the motions, even in the behind the scenes video. But of course, this is all very subjective.

Regardless, blind devotion and complete consensus don't move the world forward. If everyone agrees with everyone else all the time, how do you progress? It's the voice of criticism that challenges the status-quo and makes you reevaluate why you like something or someone. You're forced to take a look at your own positions, and as a result, they can be strengthened and solidified under the critical assault.

And since no one else seems to be capable of being critical (just read Freja's thread at tFS), I guess I have to be my own voice of dissension. Gah!! I'm know I'm such a hypocrite. Here I am talking about fan devotion on a freaking blog dedicated to Freja that I, myself started....just wait, in a few months time I'll probably be proclaiming my love and devotion once again on tFS, complete with the gross overuse of happy faces and hearts. Sorry, but you'll have to put up with my whining until then.

I'd appreciate hearing some of your thoughts on the editorial, whether you loved it, or loved it....or maybe, just maybe, even felt something less than love for it. :) I can get so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I sometime lose sight of the obvious...

But I will end on a positive note. The vulnerability that Freja projects here is amazing, raw and quite touching.

Image Credits: scans by tFS members candlebougie and leggy e11e