Tattoo Update

I've been wanting to update and add to this old tattoo post I did a few months ago. Since then, Freja's received some more ink, and I've come across better pictures of her existing tattoos. I'll probably have to do another one of these posts in a few months time, as tattoos have a tendency to pop up unexpectedly on Freja. But that's part of the reason I love her as a model. She's not afraid to assert her individuality in an industry that would rather have her as a blank slate.

1. "Float" located on the left side of her neck


2. Upside down Triangle on the back of her neck (outlined first, filled in later)


3. Circle done with dashed-lines behind her right ear


4. Cross on her right earlobe


5. "Serendipity is Life" on the back of her upper right arm


6. Colt Revolver on the inside of her upper left arm


7. "This Too Shall Pass" on the inside of her upper right arm


8. "This World Tonight is Mine" on her right wrist


9. "Redemption" on her upper left forearm


10. Three circles on her left wrist (outlined first, filled in later)


11. Star on her upper left torso (outlined first, filled in later)


12. "M" on her upper right torso


13. Lightening Bolt on her upper right torso (to cover up the "M")


14. Lines on her left middle finger


15. Graphic design on her lower stomach (no picture available)

If you're keeping track, Freja currently has 14 tattoos (that we know of) and she's been inked 18 times. Perhaps these numbers will be going up come September? Keep those eyes peeled.

Image Credits: celebritycity, fashionmag.com, fashion_shows, models.com, modepilot.de, mtv.dk, scan by Diciassette (17) @ tFS, seocoracaopensasse.blogspot

Roundup

It's nice to see Freja's Vogue Russia editorial getting so much recognition. Check it out:

models.com

stylefile

refinery29

Everyone seems to be in agreement that this is Freja at her best. Soft and hard. Androgynous and feminine. Edgy and delicate. Able to so perfectly exist on both ends of the spectrum like no other model can.

HQs

We've already seen this editorial, but I'm posting the HQs for anyone that wants them. I'm pretty OCD about good scans and some of you out there might be as well. Since I was already scanning these for myself I thought it wouldn't hurt to post them. Besides, editorials always look better in higher quality. You really get to see the beautiful details of the clothing that you may have missed the first look around.

Milan
Vogue UK August 2009
Ph: Patrick Demarchelier




Image Credits: My scans

Vogue Russia Debut

Adding to the September issues tally, Freja marks her debut in Vogue Russia with a simple, understated editorial.

I Remember
Vogue Russia September 2009
Ph: Willy Vanderperre

Her body is very much on display here...in a way, more so than we've seen before. The angles and pared down clothing in some shots really show you that Freja's body belongs in the high fashion realm. This is a realm where thin dominates so that clothes can hang on a model like they would hang from a hanger. (I've always found it so strange and paradoxical that many designers design this way rather than designing for the body.) She's extremely thin, but she's never seemed unhealthy to me. Her proportions are just so that you can tell she belongs to the lucky category of people who are genetically blessed with supermodel measurements.

I've noticed that Freja has been taking more risks with her body in her editorial work. Maybe this is just the by product of working with a different set of photographers like Terry and Willy who run in more arty/less mainstream circles. But I do think her posing is getting stronger and more varied, so it could be a combination of both factors. As Freja matures and settles into her fashion role, she's becoming more comfortable with herself and it shows.

As silly and inconsequential as this sounds, I also think Freja's hair plays a part in all of this. The second we see her locks growing out she immediately begins to work more. In additional to working more in general, she's working more outside her assigned stereotype of the androgynous, rebel girl. In an industry based entirely around one's appearance, I guess it should come as no surprise that something like hair length can have so much clout.

Nearly all the September issues have been released, and while I would have liked to see Freja on one of the Vogue covers, I'm just happy to see that she's been getting lots of steady work showcasing her diversity and range. I hope this bodes well for the upcoming September shows.

Image Credits: Beautiful scans by tFS member achAT

Gucci Behind the Scenes Video

I love this video (and I absolutely love the entire Gucci campaign now as well). The whole concept is very cool, and very fitting for the FW0910 Gucci collection. From what I can gather, each model embodied a different persona during the shoot. Freja was "The Unbendable," and you can see her part in the video starting around 3:40. If you pay close attention you can get the other models' personae as well.

Old "Making Of" Gucci videos have simply featured models dancing and moving around, but this one is different. This one was purposefully made to become a behind the scenes video. Videos from past seasons always seemed like an afterthought. While the photographers were shooting the campaign, someone just happened to be taking video so Gucci took the footage, set it to some music and called it a behind the scenes video.

This one differs in that it has a concept and the models were filmed specifically to convey that concept. Like I said before, each model played a role during the shoot, and each model has a segment during this video. Footage is set to an overlay of the other models' voices and if you listen closely you can pick out distinctive one like Raquel's, Abbey Lee's and Anja's. They all utter descriptive words and phrases about each other, but it's unclear to me if their mutterings refer to the model's persona on set or persona in real life.

Here is what I could make out from Freja's segment. She is The Unbendable. She's tough and hard. Edgy and straight down the line (according to Abbey Lee). She's up for any adventure (according to Anja). She's steady, unbendable, loyal and she doesn't beat around the bush. These are all qualities I would associate with Freja, but of course I don't really know the real her. Just the "her" that she allows me to see through her work. So maybe there is a third persona at play here? The video persona, Freja's real persona, and the persona that we see as fans.

Anyway, I'll spare you by not delving further into that thought. Freja also says something about herself, but it was hard to make out. I heard "I'm the one that talks a lot." Did anyone else hear that as well? By the way, I love her voice. So unique sounding and slightly raspy with that Danish accent.

The ending of the video is quite impressive. It starts at 4:28 with the video camera slowly panning out to a full view of all the models moving and swaying. The flash from the photographic camera adds this amazing strobe light effect and the whole impression is quite breathtaking and stunning to my eyes. After seeing this video, I think more people will be able to appreciate what Inez and Vinoodh were going for when they shot this campaign. It's about models, glamor, and getting lost in a life you aspire to have.

Purple Magazine Cover

Woot!

First Purple cover for Freja...the September issue no less! And first time being shot by Terry Richardson...I think? She looks vicious, ferocious and so different from anything we've seen from her before. Wow, I'm excited. I hope there's an ed inside. I just have to get my hands on this. Judging from previews, there's also a fabulous ed with Abbey Lee, Eniko and Magdalena inside.

Image Credit: purple-diary.com

Track Her If You Can

You have to really love traveling if you want to be a top model. Just check out this little time line I've put together of Freja's whereabouts in the past few months. Consider it my own version of "Where In the World is FBE?"

Late May/Early June: Monaco for work and some relaxation time
Early June: London for work and play
Week of June 8th: New York for reasons unknown, but most likely work
Week of June 15th: Paris, ostensibly for work with Heidi Mount and Karl
Thursday, July 2th - Sunday, July 5th: Roskilde Festival in Denmark
Tuesday, July 7th: Chanel Haute Couture show in Paris
Thursday, August 6th: Mads Norgaard show as part of Copenhagen Fashion Week
Tuesday, August 11th: Saint Tropez in France with Karl Lagerfeld

Coming Up...

Sometime in August: Road trip to Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas
Monday, August 31 - Monday, Sept 7: Burning Man in Black Rock City, Nevada
Thursday, September 10th: New York Fashion Week

And then soon afterward, London (perhaps), Milan and Paris. Whew!

Decked out in A. Wang at the Roskilde Festival in early July


Walking around Saint Tropez on Tuesday in head-to-toe black, possibly as a purposeful foil to Karl's mostly white outfit. :)

Whoever says being a model is easy has never had to endure a grueling schedule like this. Sure there's down time and you're in exotic locales, but traveling in general tires your body out and messes up your Circadian rhythms. Continuous travel like the kind Freja undertakes results in a persistent, nagging sense of exhaustion. You jet setters out there should know what I'm talking about. Needless to say, after tracking Freja for just three months and seeing where she's been, I'm exhausted and for once not envious of her. I traveled just two hours from my home into the country this past weekend and the trip has already thrown off my whole week....yes, I'm a wimp.

How many frequent flyer miles do you think Freja's racked up in just these past few months? Even crazier still is that she's about to log tons more miles during the upcoming fashion month. I guess this means you better stay tuned for more installments of "Where In the World is FBE?"

Image Credits: euroman.dk, fromthedeskofphyllis.blogspot.com, zimbio.com