Mark Your Calendars?

Chanel haute couture is showing on July 7th. Here's a blurb from WWD:

THE LATE SHOW: Often, the night before one of his many fashion shows, Karl Lagerfeld visits the venue and is enchanted seeing the décor bathed in evening light. Come couture week in Paris next month, Lagerfeld will take full advantage and host a sunset show for Chanel under the soaring glass roof of the Grand Palais. The designer said couture “has to be like a celebration” and that sunset shows are reminiscent of the “golden age of haute couture.” The Chanel show is scheduled for July 7 at 9 p.m.

Considering Freja opened and closed the last Chanel haute couture show in January and also walked in the Chanel resort show just this past month, it's a safe bet to assume she'll be walking in July. Maybe she'll even make a record third appearance as the Chanel bride? Any one care to venture as to what other haute couture shows she might walk in? She surprisingly showed up at Elie Saab in January, so I really think anything is possible come July.

Picture of the Grand Palais for your time:

Image Credits: wwd

Keep Your Eyes Open

Thought I'd do a recap of things to look out for in terms of Freja's upcoming work.

-She recently shot something with Sasha on the streets on NY. Judging by the pictures on tFS, it's probably for an editorial.

-She was in Monaco two weeks ago where Karl Lagerfeld shot her for an editorial to appear in an upcoming issue of Harper's Bazaar.

-She was in London recently, hopefully shooting something for Vogue UK (see post below).

-At some point in the near future (as stated in her blog post) Freja is off on a bigger round trip to NY and Paris. If it happens this month, I think it will be for some print work. If it happens in July then it's possibly for the couture shows which start on July 6th I believe.

In response to a fan question on her website, Freja stated that she would be attending the Roskilde Festival this year, but that ends on July 5th. So that leaves plenty of time for her to jet on over to Paris and stomp down the couture catwalks. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about all those airline miles being logged. But as fans, we have a lot to look out for and look forward to.

LDN

If you read Freja's blog yesterday you probably caught this little bit of info:

After a couple of beautiful relaxing days by the saltwater pool in Monaco, I have now moved on to London for a few days off and also a few days of work.

Wonder what she could be working on over there? I was thinking about this (probably way too much) and I really hope she shot an editorial for Vogue UK because her past work with the magazine is simply outstanding and it aptly showcases her versatility and skill as a model. Take a look at what I mean:

Going back to Freja's early days in 2005 with a colorfully vibrant, Moroccan-themed shot, she's strong enough not to be overshadowed by the clothes and setting.

Then in 2006 she exudes a very appealing and soft femininity.

As we move into 2008, in a complete 180 degree turnaround, Freja delivers her famous androgynous charm with two editorials in the same issue.

And the most recent editorial Freja shot for them in August of 2008 displays a mixture of both androgyny and femininity, coupled with fantastic interplay between her and Lily.

If Freja is indeed working with Vogue UK again I can't wait to see what the final product will look like. I love the range that they have allowed to her thus far, unlike for example Vogue Nippon and their androgynous, black and white eds.

I should reiterate that I do not know if Freja is indeed shooting an editorial for Vogue UK. This is just my hope and the result of my deductive reasoning. Why else would she be working in London? Most of this season's ad campaigns have already been shot so it's safe to assume that she's not shooting an ad. I'm not sure about foreign brands, but I figured those would most likely shoot in their own respective countries or in NY.

I could be wrong, but NY is a more well-known city on the international fashion scene. You have lots of photographers and creative, industry types based in the city. So if a brand like Moiselle was going to shot anywhere beside Hong Kong, I would place my bets on NY over London. Same goes for the foreign versions of Vogue and Numero. So unless Freja is shooting in London on a specific location instead of in a studio, it makes sense to conclude that she's shooting for Vogue UK. I guess I'll just have to wait a few more months to find out if I'm right. :)

Did you also catch this other little tid-bit from her blog post?

packed for 4 days in Monaco and now have to do a bigger roundtrip to Paris and then New York

Trips to Paris and NY for more work? I think the timing of this is good as we are in between seasons so a busy schedule during the off months hopefully means a busy schedule come runway time. Also, aren't couture shows coming up!?

Image Credits:
mfilomeno.com via tFS member static
westwood.yculblog.com via tFS member sylen
Scaned by tFS member Manuva
fashionising.com

Official Blog

Yes it's official. There is a blog up at frejabeha.com and two entries have been posted so far. If you haven't seen it already, you should definitely go check it out. Freja is writing a bit (quite well I might add) and posting pictures as well. I never thought this would actually happen, but I think it's wonderful that she's reaching out to fans. Perhaps a turning point and the beginnings of a changed role for Freja as a model? Will we see her hamming it up in more backstage pictures? Will we get more interview clips and sound bytes?

Maybe this has been a gross misconception on my part, but Freja always seemed to shy away from any media attention. At least when we compared her to other models who attained the same stature and level of success. We rarely saw her at fashion week parties and events. She always stayed true to her casual, laid-back personal style. She's never once attended the Met Gala. And her backstage candids are decidedly boring in their normalcy, for we rarely saw dramatic posing from her. Don't get me wrong, I don't see any of these things as a bad things; rather, I see them as the things that made me so intrigued by Freja in the first place.

I know two posts on this official blog does not necessarily mean that all these aspects of Freja have changed or will change, but I can't help but get the feeling that they're the first step. Freja seems to be embracing her role as a model much more openly. Nowadays, that role comes with a certain level of expected fan interaction and she is indulging that as well. Especially in this age of instant communication that the internet has afforded us, niche cultivations proliferate when you can instantly see the latest editorials, ads and runway shots with the click of a mouse. You can easily find forums populated by lots of other fans and together you can build and increase your love over a favorite model, musician or actor. Pretty soon, you expect your "celebrities" to love you back by providing inside glimpses into their lives. You want to feel special and you want to feel like your admiration is not all for naught. You want your celebrity to appreciate you as much as you appreciate them. It's a pretty ridiculous and self-entitled conceit when you step back and really think about it.

Once again, you've caught me on a day where I'm just a jumble of thoughts and this blog has become my outlet, so thank you for indulging me if you've read this far. To sum up, I love that Freja is making the effort to connect with her fans and I love that her blog posts show off her humor and sarcastic wit. I'm confused as to what this all means for her role within fashion, because as I saw it, she played her part as the rebel girl quite well. Being a rebel means going against the norms set by others, so now that this seems to be changing I don't know what to think.

We'll have to just wait and see what happens with the SS shows and if there are any noticeable changes. And for your time, the newest picture from the official site:

Any comments or thoughts appreciated. Even if you just want to tell me to shut the hell up.

My Cowgirl Hero, Indeed

I actually really like this editorial. Even though I had my reservations in the last post, and even though Freja is still stuck playing the role of the androgynous tough girl, this is a really beautifully shot editorial. Solve Sundsbo has a talent for creating very striking images. I love his use of tonality and shading to create this very mysterious vibe, all while spotlighting the clothes that really do have a western cowgirl feel to them (except maybe for the Balmain dress). For a studio shoot, this editorial is completely engaging and far from boring, even though it is a bit cliche in terms of Freja's oeuvre.

My Cowgirl Hero
Vogue Nippon July 2009
Ph: Solve Sundsbo

I'd really like to see these images in color. Even though I love black and white photography, when it comes to fashion spreads I can't help but feel that an important dimension is taken away from the clothes when they're only shot in b&w. And I wish Solve had shot this on location somewhere. Perhaps the location where he shot this editorial would have also been apropos for this one, non? Anyway, this is definitely one of Freja's strongest editorials in a while, but I just hope it isn't the sole indicator of what we can expect to see from her work wise in the upcoming months. I'm just waiting for someone to give her the chance to show off her softer side once again. That being said, it is weird that my favorite image from the editorial is this one?

It's such a soft, quiet, introspective moment. Seemingly out of place when compared to the other images where Freja is posing strongly and glaring at the camera. Maybe that's why I love it. It's unexpected and simple, yet beautifully and precisely composed. I also love it because you can see five of her tattoos, some of which we've never seen clear images before. The dashed circle behind her ear, the inverted triangle on the back of her neck, the lightning bolt on her side, the phrase on her arm, and the "mine" part of the "this world tonight is mine" phrase tattooed on her wrist. For the longest time I just thought it said "this world tonight." And don't you just love how the triangle tattoo is echoed by the triangle on the strap of the Hermes vest? Intentional or not, that's just so beautiful.

Anyway, huge thanks to MAGstyle at tFS for taking the time to make these beautiful scans. If you're a member of tFS, remember to thank him and to thank all those that scan. It's a tough job and they're generous enough to do it.

Image Credits: Scanned by tFS member MAGstyle

Little by Little

Two more pictures have surfaced of Freja's editorial in Vogue Nippon. At this rate maybe we'll get to see the entire thing by the time the SS shows roll around? :) I wish my local bookstores carried Vogue Nippon because then I'd just scan the images myself, but no suck luck. Well, patience is a virtue as they say.

Anyway, from the images so far this editorial doesn't seem to be anything groundbreaking. Don't get me wrong, Freja looks great albeit a little too stern in the eyes for my tastes, but I just wanted to see her doing something else besides the androgynous, tough girl. (At this point I would even love to see Freja jumping against a studio backdrop in a Mario Testino photographed editorial because it would be something different for her.) We've seen this before in Vogue Nippon, and seeing her other Solve Sundsbo collaborations, I guess I was just expecting something very different and new. I'll hold my final judgment until we see the complete editorial, but I doubt the rest of the images will veer away from the mood and theme set by these. Work is work though and I guess we should just be happy for what we can get.

Image Credits: hudie.com via tFS member Joerg C.

Preview!

Courtesy of surrealseven @ tFS:

Looks interesting so far! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get the rest of the images today!