Fall Into the Gap

This season is turning out to be quite the big one for Freja in terms of campaigns. We just got news that she will be in the upcoming FW0910 Gap ads, thanks to kimair over at tFS. So now you can ad Gap to an impressive list that already includes Chanel and Gucci. All three are very big names within the fashion industry, and they run the gamut from high end to mass-consumer fashion.

Can you call this a comeback? I mean, Freja never really left the fashion conscious aside from missing a few catwalks here and there. And granted, her campaign count last season wasn't the highest, but she's always had steady editorial work and some campaigns each season. So maybe this is a resurgence?

Last year Freja seemed to be pigeon-holed as the androgynous girl. Anytime someone was shooting something that needed a masculine edge, Freja seemed to get the job and to be honest, it was growing tiresome. I felt that her potential and versatility were being stifled by the bad-girl image that comes along with chopping off your hair and getting multiple, visible tattoos. But maybe this Gap campaign is signaling a shifting role for Freja within the industry--a role that sees her returning to the commercial sphere that she first occupied when she started her career, as that was the last time she had a Gap campaign.

Yet this commercial role does not preclude her involvement in high fashion. One of my favorite aspects about Freja is that her face adapts to both extremes of the fashion industry so beautifully. She can stand out enough to sell high end clothing in the pages of Vogue Italia. And she can exude the commercial appeal that brands like Gap depend upon in order to sell to a wide audience. Her campaign list this season is absolutely proof positive of this.

So yes, definitely a resurgence! A clear statement to the industry that says Freja is more than androgyny and tattoos. Now the question in my mind is, who is behind all of this? Is Freja the active agent of this change, or is it her agency? Times are definitely tough, and there is no doubt that Freja is one of the top girls and therefore one of the top money-makers at IMG. We all noticed last season that she appeared to be growing her hair out, and longer hair usually means more commercial viability. Do I sense some pressure from the top? Especially during this recession where it seems like not a day goes by without news of a store closing, a magazine folding, or a brand downsizing? It's no secret that Freja is a fan of shorter hair and that she had been wanting to cut hers off for a very long time before she actually did.

But enough of my postulating now. Maybe I'm just full of shit. Sometimes I'm just a jumble of thoughts and you, dear readers of this blog, are the unfortunate victims of my verbosity. If you've made it this far you definitely deserve these old Gap campaign pictures.

Image Credits: All taken from Freja's old thread at tFS

Art of Melancholy

Huge, huge thank you to tFS member nothingless for getting HQs of this old editorial. I had been looking for high quality images for a long time without any luck, and nothingless was generous and kind enough to help me out by getting the images from art+commerce.

Art of Melancholy
Vogue Nippon March 2008
Ph: Solve Sundsbo

This is one of my favorite editorials featuring Freja. The vibe of the shoot is just so alluring. Maybe it's her glistening skin or the vibrant colors of the clothes against the homogeneous desert backdrop. But the images absolutely pull you in. Can't you just feel the sun's rays radiating down on your skin? Can't you feel the dry and dusty desert air whip around the beads of sweat forming on your neck? The isolationism often associated with this harsh landscape is perfectly captured here with the eerily decrepit setting and long shadows. Add to this mix Freja's brooding stare and nonchalant body language and you really have the art of melancholy.

Image Credits: art+commerce via tFS member nothingless

Where's Freja?

Can you find her in the picture below?


Backstage runway rehearsal pictures are some of my favorites! I love seeing the models in their regular clothes walking down the runway because you have two disparate elements coming together. On the one hand you have the glitz and grandeur of the catwalk; and on the other, you have the models in their casual, pared-down street looks. Rarely do you get to see the two elements come together. We get plenty of model street style pictures but those are situated on the street...natch. And we see plenty of runway pictures but those feature full designer looks. To me, it's just refreshing to see both elements in a new light.

Image Credits: celebritycity

A Look Back at Gucci Runway

While we're waiting for images to come out from the upcoming FW0910 Gucci campaign, and since it's been relatively quiet news-wise, I thought now would be a perfect time to take a look back through Freja's career walking the Gucci runway.

There is no doubt that Freja is a Gucci girl through and through. She's already starred in three campaigns and a runway show just isn't the same without her. When she missed walking during the SS09 season, people took notice. Freja has that glam rock look that suits the Gucci aesthetic, so when the two meet the result is chic, cool and enviable. Take a look.

Spring/Summer 2006 Ready to Wear



Fall/Winter 2006/2007 Ready to Wear



Spring/Summer 2007 Ready to Wear



Fall/Winter 2007/2008 Ready to Wear



Spring/Summer 2008 Ready to Wear



Fall/Winter 2008/2009 Ready to Wear



Spring/Summer 2009 Ready to Wear
Freja does not walk


Fall/Winter 2009/2010 Ready to Wear

It's pretty interesting to see the evolution of Frida Giannini's style since she took over as creative director after the Tom Ford era. Many have criticized her designs in recent seasons as being too commercial and too much like Gucci-copying Zara-copying Gucci. Nevertheless, I'll always have a weakness for Gucci because I loved the FW0809 season's take on the "babushka."And I melt a little bit every time I see those knee high boots with the long fringe.

Anyway, if you think I've missed a show please leave a comment. I think Freja may have done a Gucci Cruise show very early in her career but I'm not positive and I can't find any pictures. So if you have them, let me know!

Image Credits: Celebritycity, coutorture, style.com

Some News?

When I started this blog I never intended to participate in the perpetuation of any gossip. If you're a hardcore Freja fan you already know where to go to read about rumors and such. I wanted this blog to concentrate on Freja's professional work and the role she plays within the fashion industry. That being said, I do love gossip as much as the next person and this is why I read The Imagist on a daily basis. Their "scoup du jour" pieces are almost always spot on and they do like to ruffle the fashion feathers by posting juicy tidbits here and there.

Recently they had this little mention of Freja.

That is what I meant by my taking Manhattan life for granted. What other places give you sporadically, Manhattan gives you daily. Our long and langurous lunch stretched on until twilight, at which point Lily Donaldson slipped downstairs from what I assumed was her building (you know the one on the corner of Kenmare and Lafayette). Vogue Paris stylist Julia von Boehm in hardcore hard fashionista mode slumped down on the outside bench just as Freja whisked by and it was nice to see all the kids out basking in Cafe Select's unharried ambiance.

This is the kind of gossip I feel comfortable mentioning because I feel it could be work related and it seems pretty harmless. It's also rooted in a first person sighting so it's hard to debate. Freja has been in New York a lot recently. But the blurb above refers to this past friday, May 1st and the last time we knew of her being in NY was at least two weeks ago.

So what I wonder is has she been in the city this whole time or is this the result of multiple trips? What project could she be working on if any? Are the Lily D and Julia von Boehm sightings related to Freja, or just a coincidental convergence of fashion faces? The Imagist is pretty ambiguous, so I'm not going to jump to any conclusions yet. But wouldn't it be nice to see Freja in Vogue Paris again? It's been a while.

Now, please understand that this long rambling post doesn't mean I don't want to be informed of Freja gossip. If anyone out there reading ever has something they want to share, feel free to e-mail me. Address is in my profile. I'll keep it on the down low. I promise! :)

And for your time, a recent picture of Freja in NY from jdvision:

New Polaroid

"Danish star with the androgynous look got her first tattoo at 16. Freja Beha Erichsen is one of the tops."

Credit goes to candlebougie at tFS for the nice find! I believe the image is pretty recent. It was uploaded to the MUSE magazine facebook page today, May 4th. It's definitely from this past season judging by the hair. Now that I think about it, it's probably a by product of show castings from this past season, so it's not necessarily a recent picture. It could be from Frebruary for all we know. I'm so obsessed with knowing how recent this polaroid is because I want to know if Freja is growing her hair out, or if she's going to cut it again. Yes, who knew I'd ever be this vigilant about hair length.

Anyway, the polaroid comes from John Pfeiffer Casting and I was able to dig up an old interview from 2005 with John where he mentions Freja.

MDC: Speaking of new girls, are there any that stand out this season?
JP: For me, Freja (with IMG); I’m living for Freja, she’s such a nice girl, too.

Freja seems to have that special something that puts casting directors under her spell. In case you didn't know, she is also one of casting agent James Scully's all-time favorite models.

The queen of cool. Probably one of the most-requested models of all my clients. She is the perfect old-school clothes-hanger with a little eighties androgyny thrown in.

With acclaim like this, I hope it means Freja will be around for another few years. I can't bear to see her fade away yet, as models are prone to do in the very fickle fashion industry.

Oh Woe Is Me!

I bet this is how we all feel about the lack of Freja news recently. When do campaign pictures begin leaking? Ugh. Maybe we'll get a new editorial soon? Too bad she's not going to the Met Ball on Monday. I know that Freja isn't the type to attend events like that, but you'd think that in all these years of being a well-known model some designer would have taken her. I'm looking at you Karl!

Image Credits: celebritycity