Backstage Glimpses

I've seen so many pictures of Freja in the past few weeks that I just can't remember what's new and what's old. I think these are new backstage images, but I'm posting them here instead of at tFS just in case they are reposts.

Chloe



Karl Lagerfeld


Valentino

My mind is an absolute jumble of images. It's hard enough trying to keep up with all the collections, but this season I decided it would also be fun to keep up with as many new girls as I possibly can in addition to keeping tabs on Freja. Hence, my addiction to the Runway Model Showlist thread at tFS. I like to see how many girls I can identify in a show, and I've definitely gotten better since the start of the season but I'm still no match for the pros over there. Some of the posters are simply amazing in their identifying abilities. Face covered up? No problem. They'll just use the ears as a reference point.

Interestingly enough, after a while you start to see similar features in girls that look nothing alike. And you start to see certain facial feature paragons present throughout all the girls' faces no matter where they're from. It's quite the lesson in geography and anthropology, albeit not a very productive one. Oh well. At the very least, I can spell Eastern European last names like no other. Do you think I can put that on my resume?

Image Credits: corbis.com

Choice Quotes

Some morning entertainment for you. These parts of the video were making me laugh so much:

@ 1:00 "He must have used a ton of little old ladies somewhere in Normandy, you know, whipping them up. " - Cathy Horyn

@ 2:15 "I love lesbians. My best friends are all lesbians. It's very easy for people to live as lesbians. Men don't dislike woman, why should woman dislike woman?" - Karl Lagerfeld

And there you have it. Lessons in Sexuality 101 by Karl Lagerfeld, but if I were him I'd stick to my day job. I suppose the world that Karl lives in is light ages away from the world the rest of us live in, because I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that it's easy to live as a lesbian. Oh Karl.

Anyway, you can see the final walkout with Freja, Lara and Baptiste starting at 2:05.

Casual Swagger

Yup, she's still got it. That slightly aloof attitude, too cool smirk, and unhurried gait.

@ :25

@1:00

In an industry that changes faster than you can blink an eye, some things can remain constant. Freja's decidedly and defiantly casual walk is one of them. And hopefully, her opening Chloe will be another.

Definitely Dries

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that we each have a show forever associated with Freja in our own minds. It's the one that we can't think of without immediately recalling Freja as well. Whether it's because we feel she embodies the design aesthetic, she's always in the ad campaigns, or she represents their ideal, there's just that one show you expect Freja to walk in, and are hugely disappointed if she doesn't.

For me that show has to be Dries Van Noten. As much as I love seeing her ongoing runway relationships with Marni, Balenciaga, Chanel, Narciso, Chloe, etc...a Dries show just isn't complete if Freja isn't walking in it.

It's hard for me to describe why I have such a strong association between Dries and Freja in my mind. It's an implicit feeling I get from the clothes and the aura they create. I guess that to me, a woman who would wear Dries in real life would look like Freja. She would be tall, lanky and kind of awkward, yet totally self-possessed and assured. She would be a world traveler, taking bits of the places she's been too and leaving bits of her own self behind. Everywhere all at once, and yet extremely elusive. I know this association is kind of ironic since Freja's actual personal style is the complete polar opposite of the stereotypical Dries style. But it just works in my mind.

And I suspect that it works that way in Dries' mind as well. :) Since her debut, Freja has walked in every Dries show save one (oddly enough, that was my favorite Dries collection ever), and she's closed for him three different times.

Spring/Summer 2006 (Closed)


Fall/Winter 2006/2007


Spring/Summer 2007


Fall/Winter 2007/2008


Spring/Summer 2008 (Closed)


Fall/Winter 2008/2009


Spring/Summer 2009 (skipped)

Fall/Winter 2009/2010


Spring/Summer 2010 (Closed)


And check out the beautiful details from this season (click through for bigger images):

He is one of my favorite designers and I love how he crafts his clothes with true consideration for woman and her place within modern life. Even though I completely shrink away from prints and color in my own daily wardrobe, I still love and appreciate his beautiful collections. All the basics are there, just updated in ways you've never seen before.

This is a runway collaboration that I truly treasure and look forward to each and every season. It's one that I sincerely hope continues on for a good while because it's my version of fashion perfection. There are so few occasions when a model aligns perfectly with a brand (Sasha/Prada, Maria Carla/Givenchy), that I just wanted to take the time to revel in the moment. What is your fashion perfection for Freja? And don't all say Freja and Chanel at once. :)

Image Credits: style.com

Stella Insight

Every time I see a Stella McCartney runway show, I always think back to this interview Stella did for Interview Magazine. More specifically, I zoom in on this excerpt about her casting process:

I choose them. I have a guy who does casting for me, but we work together. It's funny, because whenever someone else is excited about a girl who I am not keen on and I eventually give in, I always regret it when I see her on the runway. "Ugh, I knew I didn't like her. She's just not very me." I think it took me a little while to be true to myself as a designer, and in some ways I'm still trying to do that. I have to choose things that come naturally to me. Whenever I challenge something too much or try too hard, it never quite works out.

Freja has walked in countless of her shows, so I find it interesting that Stella sees her as embodying the Stella woman. And on the other hand, Karl sees her as embodying the modern Chanel woman as evidenced by their long-lasting work relationship. And while these associations are ongoing, Freja also simultaneously embodies the popular modern notion of androgynous edge.

Here you have two brands known for their femininity, using a model known and lauded for her androgyny. I think this is just another testament to Freja's modeling versatility, and it's actually quite amazing when you stop to ponder it. Who else can represent these extremes so well?

Anyway, I think Freja looks wonderful at Stella and this is the way I like to see her look. Breezy, feminine, glowing and lighthearted.

Image Credits: Style.it

Making New Friends

It's no secret I love backstage pictures. I love them because they're usually so chaotic and fun - very different from the serious veneer of runway pictures. I also love them because they give us a good indication of which models are friendly backstage.

Yes, sometime models pose together in backstage pictures because they're in the lineup next to each other, but most of the time you see actual model friends hamming it up in front of the lens. And this season Freja seems to have found some new ones. As much as I love Frily and Freidi, I have to say that I'm a bigger fan of Frabbey and Farmen (although I think those names could use some work).

Karmen is one of my favorite models, and Abbey is in my top ten so I like the idea that Freja is friends with them. And Karmen and Abbey definitely know each other because they're both at Next. I don't know why, but I guess in my perfect world all my favorite models would hang out together like one big happy family. It's a Utopic thought, but the reality actually isn't too far away from it. After all, Karlie, Karmen and Cat all live in the same building and bake cookies together.

In addition to making new friends, Freja's connecting with old ones as well.

Here she is with Iselin back in 2007

And here she is with Iselin this season

They have a great knack for taking a succession of pictures together that perfectly capture the off-the-cuff, playful, fun moments I love seeing so much.

Anyway, I know I'm being a bit naive using backstage pictures to gauge model friendships, but it's all we really have to go on. If these girls aren't really friends in real life, at the very least I'd like to see them in an editorial together. Give me Freja, Daria, Karolin, Karmen and Abbey together and I'd be in heaven. Are there any models you want to see Freja with, either in backstage candids or editorials? What's your dream model lineup?

Image Credits: dazeddigital, gobackstage.blogspot, elle, wwd, vogue.co.uk, sonnyphotos.typepad, nymag, style.it, style.com, celebritycity, fashion_shows

Balmania

I normally don't update after every show Freja walks in because it would get very repetitive since most of you are already glued to tFS. However, I just had to make an exception today in honor of Daria returning to the runway! In probably the best surprise of the season, Daria walked in the Balmain show held earlier today, opening and closing it. Too bad this will be her only show of the season.

Freja also walked the show of course, in addition to walking Balenciaga early this morning. Daria is only second to Freja in my book, so I'm thrilled they're on the same runway together again. The last time this happened was the Versace FW0809 show nearly 2 years ago. I just love it when my favorites walk the same shows because it makes things that much more memorable. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get some good backstage pictures. Paris is shaping up to be a dream so far, isn't it?

How amazing does she look?! When I see someone like Daria on the runway, all the newer girls suddenly become inadequate and completely pale in comparison.

Image Credits: catwalking.com via tFS member Nils, style.it