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

Chanel in China

Mark your calendars! There is lots of Chanel related news that Freja fans should be aware of. A new Chanel boutique is opening up in Shanghai, China on November 25th (maybe someone will get their hands on 31 Rue Cambon), and Karl is putting on a Paris-Shanghai fashion show on December 3rd to coincide. According to the show's website, www.chanel-paris-shanghai.com, Karl will debut a short online movie just before the presentation of the collection, much like he did for the Paris-Moscow collection last year. Actual video of the runway show will be put up online December 4th.

Until then, you can find lots of pre-release media and news on the website. There is a "Diary of the Collection" section, which features short videos documenting the creation of the collection from its inception to its finish. There are only two (out of a total of ten) episodes up right now. Neither contains any terribly exciting material, but it's still interesting to see Karl sketching and to get glimpses of the creative processes that go into creating a Chanel collection.

Episode 1

Episode 2


And a possible look from the show

It remains to be seen whether Freja will be participating in any of the events related to this collection's release. She sat out the Paris-Moscow show, which made sense because Karl went with a mostly Russian/Eastern European cast of models. But will he choose to go with an all Asian cast for this show? Possibly, as Asian models like Liu Wen (walking the Victoria's Secret show this year) and Tao Okamoto are very popular right now. And if Karl decides to use only Asian models, will he limit that even further and only use Chinese models? If so, then that means Tao is out.

Perhaps it was easier to cast the Paris-Moscow show base on models' ethnicity, since Eastern European models have been dominating the runways for a few years now. The same can't be said for Asian models, so we might be seeing all the Chanel regulars walking this show instead. And since Karl hasn't been able to do anything lately without Freja by his side, all those Chinese Freja fans might have reason to get very excited.

If Freja does walk this show, I hope she's not paired off with Baptiste like she was during the Chanel SS10 show. It would be nice to see her in regular runway looks instead of androgynous ones that also double as social commentary. Anyway, we still have a few weeks to go before the show, so don't get too excited yet. We don't know if Freja is confirmed so I guess we'll just have to be extra vigilant for any more news.

Image Credits: screen capped by me from chanel-paris-shanghai.com

31 Rue Cambon

Chanel is launching an in house publication entitled 31 Rue Cambon (named after the address of the first Chanel boutique). It is designed and art-directed by Olivier Zahm, who also happens to be the editor-in-chief of Purple, which also happens to be the magazine that published this infamous editorial.

Karl seems to be pulling out all the stops in order to ensure that the house of Chanel will weather these touch economic waters and emerge unscathed. An in-house publication distributed to all stores is something I equate more with the fast fashion of H&M rather than Chanel tweed and 2.55s. But I guess you have to try anything to make sure your customers stay loyal and keep buying. And bringing back a recognizable face (Claudia Schiffer) for the ad campaign also falls in line with this reasoning. The typical Chanel customer would probably recognize Claudia from past campaigns, and she is part of the 90's supermodel clan after all.

Anyway, being that this is a Karl project, you can bet Freja will be all over the magazine along with Baptiste. An early preview already proves this to be true.

Lara, Heidi and maybe even Charlotte di Calypso should also figure into the visual equation, as they seem to be other favorites of Karl's when it comes to Chanel. Zahm is an interesting, and perhaps risky choice to helm the project, but it makes me excited for the final outcome. I definitely want to see what the man responsible for raunchy, full frontal nudity editorials can do with that Chanel tweed and those 2.55 bags. Don't you?

But with the release date unknown and Chanel stores scare, there's no telling when we'll get to see full and proper scans. As is the case with Twin magazine (at least 8 weeks for me), we might be waiting for a while.

Image Credits: purple-diary

Campaign Predictions

Each day more and more campaign news for the upcoming season leaks. And each day I get more and more disappointed. Aside from a few gems like Vanessa Hegelmaier and Kelsey van Mook for DKNY, Ginta Lanpina for Derek Lam, and Jacquelyn Jablonski and Valerija Kelava for Celine, the forecast does not look good if you're model obsessed like I am. Most campaigns are going to celebrities (Madonna), pseudo-celebrities using their last names to cash in on the accomplishments of their relatives (Dree Hemingway, Georgia May Jagger), and the older generation of models (Natalia Vodianova, Claudia Schiffer, Carmen Kass).

As much as the fashion industry prides itself on being a predictor of future trends and styles, it ironically lags behind in adjusting to events that take place in the real world. And so I believe the industry is finally feeling the full impact of the economic recession that started over a year ago, and campaign casting for the upcoming season especially reflects this. Few brands are willing to take risks with lesser known models. And almost all brands are going with familiar and conventionally beautiful faces. So where does that leave Freja? I'm afraid the answer to that question doesn't sound good, as models at her level are seemingly being left out of the shuffle for the most part.

So far she only has Chanel, but it seems to be a supporting role. And I don't think she's likely to repeat any of her other campaigns from last season. Gucci was already shot in Miami (possibly while Freja was still in Argentina) by Mert & Marcus and they don't usually work with Freja. In fact, they've only worked with her once back in 2005 at the beginning of her career. And like Inez and Vinoodh, they make a habit out of using their favorite girls in their campaigns which means Freja is out. Word is that newcomer Jacquelyn Jablonski landed the Gap campaign, which is great news for the New Jersey native, but not great news if you were hoping for Freja to repeat.

We probably won't know who landed Pollini and J Brand until those ads come out, but Pollini didn't even put on a runway show this season so I won't be surprised if they forgo a campaign altogether. But even if they do have a campaign, judging by their history, they would most likely go with a new model as they are not apt to repeat faces.

Not to be pessimistic, but the outlook is pretty bleak. What other campaigns do you think Freja could possibly score, if any? On a positive note, each season she does seem to surprise us by appearing in unexpected campaigns at the last minute. Last season it was Pollini and J Brand. The season before that things looked hopeless but then she showed up in Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli. Maybe this season it will be Akris? A brand whose runway show she's opened and closed many times. Or maybe Chloe will bring her back just like Gucci did last season? What do you think? Your guess is as good as mine. At this point, all we can do is sit back and wait.

The Namesake Part II

Thanks to an anonymous commenter, I found out that Freja also has a Marc by Marc Jacobs Ruffle Dress named after her.

It's from an older season, and not very Freja-ish if you ask me. But I guess that's not necessarily the point of naming something after someone. The object doesn't literally have to be inspired by the person. The act of naming can just be a sign of admiration and acknowledgment. And sometimes it's just for fun. There are a variety of possible reasons behind namesakes. Regardless, it's just nice to know that Freja is well-known and well-liked enough to have so many things named after her.

Am I missing anything else? Does Freja also have a small country named after her or something? I actually wouldn't be surprised if there was a small province in China named after her...they do love her a lot over there. :)

Image Credits: net-a-porter.com

The Namesake

First it was Jill Stuart. Then it was Chloe. Now Alexander Wang is the latest designer/brand to name one of his products after Freja. Breaking away from the two before him, Alex decided to go the shoe route rather than the bag route. Behold the Freja Lace-Up Stiletto Boot with Zip Detail:

The second they made their debut on the runway you could hear all the Wangsters and fashionistas alike swooning over the zippered, laced-up, folded-over, seemingly three-shoes-in-one details. They are guaranteed to be the it shoe come spring which means Freja will literally be walking all around us.

It's no secret Alex takes a lot of inspiration from models. He has already named some of his other products after them (most notably the Coco Duffle, although the name has now changed to the Rococo Duffle) and this season also features the Alla (Kostromicheva) Leopard Haircalf Wedge Mule. It was just a matter of time before he used Freja as a namesake since we already know that he's a Freja fan.

How very fitting that next seasons' sure to be most coveted shoe is named after one of fashion's most coveted models. And for once I think the product fits its namesake very well because I can actually picture Freja wearing these and integrating them into her current wardrobe. I couldn't really picture her carrying her Jill Stuart bag:

Nor her Chloe clutch (as gorgeous as it may be):

Alex's shoe gives off the right amount of the downtown, cool girl who doesn't give a shit and looks fabulous without even trying, vibe that fits Freja's sartorial personality much better than the two bags do. What do you think? Would you ever wear or carry Freja? Are some of you going to be making a big shoe purchase come springtime? All I can say is that my bank account is happy my feet can't handle stilettos...

Image Credits: style.com, fashionista, thebagforum (and thanks for the heads up slow_hands!)

Straight From the Mouth

Freja has a little mention in a new interview with Karmen Pedaru on the W Magazine Editor's Blog.

Aside from cookie-baking Karlie, who are your other model friends?
I love Abbey Lee [Kershaw] and Freja [Beha Ericksen]. They are just the coolest girls to hang out with.

Misspelling of Freja's name aside, I think this is adorable. Cool girls flock together like birds of a feather. And it confirms what we already saw during fashion week. Forget Frily, Freidi and all the rest...Farmen is it.

I guess we know who Freja will be hanging out with now that she's moved to NY. Moving cities isn't so bad when you already have friends there to smooth out the transition. :)

From the Archives - Vogue Korea

I was fortunate enough to come across a copy of the March 2009 issue of Vogue Korea with Freja on the cover. I don't believe her whole editorial was ever scanned so here it is for your enjoyment.

Supernatural
Vogue Korea March 2009
Ph: Jason Kibbler

Korean is not in my arsenal of languages so I can't tell you what the interview says. Sorry! I do like Freja's dynamic posing here, although I wish the styling was a little more adventurous. When we finally see scans of the upcoming Twin Magazine editorial, I think Freja will once again prover her versatility as a model. Judging from the previews we've seen so far, her Twin ed falls on the other side of the spectrum in terms of looks.

Image Credits: my scans

Backstage Moments - Paris

First of all, happy Freja Friday everyone. Second of all, this last batch of my favorite backstage pictures from Paris finally wraps up my SS10 coverage. Lucky for us, FW1011 (whoa, we're out of this century's first decade!) is only 4 short months away. With the holidays landing right smack in the middle, the time will pass by way quicker than you think. As usual, click through for HQs and information in the image file name.

My favorite thing to come out of this season has to be Farmen.

Weave-tastic

Up on the roof

A beauty shot

Some artistic shots

Some fun shots

I am Freja, hear me roar

Another awkward moment

And lastly, we have smug Freja

Thanks to all the hardworking backstage photographers who bring us lovely moments like the ones above. Fashion month wouldn't be as fun for us without them!

Image Credits: corbis, dazeddigital, eastnews, elle, elle.it, gobackstage.blogspot, vmagazine, wallpaper, wwd