Freja's Place Within the Cult of the Model

Freja seems to be getting more and more press these days. Not only does she have an editorial in the February issue of Vogue UK, but she's also discussed quite a bit for an article in the same issue regarding "The Cult of the Model." She seems to be one of the poster girls for our current obsession with models......how wide spread and pervasive this "obsession" is amongst the general public is questionable and open for debate. But among model followers and fashion insiders, Freja has certainly made a name for herself this past year. As someone familiar with her career back when she chopped her hair off and wasn't getting covers and editorials in all the major Vogues, it has been quite the journey of ups and down, elations and disappointments, anticipation and apathy.

Now I can't help but to wonder, has Freja made enough of an impact to withstand the fickleness of the industry, it's constantly changing tides, and the pitfalls of stereotyping and overexposure? Has she made it over the ridge and to the plateau where we can all rest easy knowing that we'll always be seeing work from her, a la Daria, Kate and Giselle? Or has this second coming in career doomed her to a fate similar to the countless other hyped faces who are everywhere one minute and then forgotten the next?

I suspect the answer to this lies in Freja, and Freja alone. It lies in her own goals, aspirations and wants out of life. And it lies in her modeling skills, which are on full and glorious display in this editorial.

Look Forward
Vogue UK February 2011
Ph: Patrick Demarchelier
Styling: Kate Phelan

She has the goods.....whether she wants to use them and for how long is the uncertainty here. It's a total shame that so many casual observers seem to write her off as a one-look pony. If they took the time or effort to truly look, they would discover what we fans have discovered long ago. And they would see that 6 years worth of work creates a book dominated by androgyny, yes, but also full of delightful subtleties, underrated femininity, and untapped potential. Oh yes, Freja is far from a one-trick pony, but I suppose the words of Vogue UK have more gravitas than the words of a simple fan.

"Look at Freja: demure for a Harry Winston ad, accessorized with an innocent smile and a slice of wedding cake and wearing a strapless dress straight out of a fairy tale; for MaxMara, she's a chic young mother in a camel coat about to go shopping down the via Montenapoleone in Milan; she's a girl hanging out at a music festival in skinny leather jeans for Vogue."

After writing about this kind of stuff for so long, I'm just happy these notions are being recognized by sources with a rider reach. Because maybe now I can take a long break.....or maybe Freja will come out with even more work to get me hooked again. :)

Image Credits: scans by tFS member gossiping

Random Bits: Hello Holidays!

Instead of being stuck in the cold east coast snow, I managed to escape for the holidays just in time. Woot! But that doesn't mean I've completely checked out.....yet. So here a few news bits to get you through the rest of the week, until you make it home for the holidays. :)

-Freja just wrapped up shooting in São Paulo for the Brazilian shoe brand Santa Lolla. The shoot took place today and yesterday, and she was shot by Henrique Gendre. Any Brazilians out there with encounter stories to share? (Thanks to reader Gabriela for the tip!)

Behind the scenes at Santa Lolla

-It's the end of the year and you know what that means....lists. Freja's made it onto Vogue UK's Best Dressed List of 2010, accompanied by a quote from uber talented and revered stylist Lucinda Chambers:

"Freja is the ultimate in boy/girl cool. She’s so down-played but everything she wears is exquisite. Every girls wants to look like Freja.”

That's quite an endorsement coming from Lucinda. Freja is 1 out of the 6 models featured on the 20 person list. The others are Edie Campbell, Elisa Sednaoui, Kate Moss, Lara Stone, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. (Hmmm, does anyone else think that Vogue UK is determined to make Edie the next big British model export? They put her in December's Star Girls ed, and now they feature her here again, when I can think of lots of other girls more deserving.) Now we wait and see if Freja will show up on any other lists. With the year she had, I'm kind of expecting it to be honest. But we'll see.

-Remember this twitpic that was burning up the blogs and forums a while ago? I got a tip from lovely reader Kate, letting us know that it's for the campaign of a Scandinavian based, fast fashion chain store with a predilection for designer collaborations. But shhhhhhhh, you didn't read it here.

-Lastly, thanks for the shout outs models.com and Unique Denmark! It's quite humbling, and also a bit embarrassing to know that this blog is being visited (and maybe even being read....ha!) by people who actually work in the industry. So thank you for that recognition. I guess it means that I must be doing something right. But all the credit of course goes to Freja for keeping all of us enthralled with her work, and to all you out there for your constant input, encouragement, tips and well wishes. I would have given up a long time ago if it wasn't for you amazing and passionate fellow fans. So thanks most of all, to you!

Image Credits: Noctilux tumblr via tFS member Carla-A

Freja in WWD

WWD just came out with their end of the year wrap up issue, and guess what? Freja is featured inside with a short article entitled "Great Dane":

"It’s been a busy year for Freja Beha Erichsen. At 23, this Danish model’s career is on a hot streak. And that’s not simply because she’s Karl Lagerfeld’s current muse. Erichsen has popped up in 10 advertising campaigns and shot almost 40 editorials since January. She equally fascinates editors, stylists and designers, and has appeared in five of the past six issues of French Vogue alone.

Erichsen’s tomboy looks — not to mention 16 tattoos — give her an edgy, androgynous mystique. But her charm is also influenced by the attitude she cultivates in her extracurricular activities: The wannabe rock star plays the drums, piano and guitar.

In 2010, Erichsen walked 80 shows and opened and/or closed 30. Lagerfeld summed up her appeal last April: “I just think she is the most modern girl and the most elegant person."

2010 really has been her year and it's nice to see more people recognizing that, including a very industry-news based publication. It's one thing to hear me talk over and over again about how great Freja is, but it's another to hear it from WWD. :) She's been working hard since 2005, always a bit under the radar; but that definitely changed this year. So congratulations Freja. I hope you're enjoying yourself wherever you are. And may the accolades and recognition continue to come in.

Image Credit: wwd.com

Celebrity?

I finally picked up a copy of the Fall/Winter issue of Bon with Constance on the cover. This Swedish publication has become one of my favorite magazines because it has substantive context and good editorials. It features topics and discussions infinitely more interesting than "How to look good at every age," "10 ways to get the look for less," and "What Hamish Bowles discovered on his 10 day cleanse."

Anyway, this particular issue contains a round table discussion on the recent Fall/Winter 2010/2011 season, and one of the topics covered in said round table is "On the Rise and Rise of Models." Interestingly enough, Freja's picture is chosen as the lead in image for this section:

It was a nice surprise, but when I took the time to think about it, it shouldn't have been a surprise at all. This absolutely jives with all the recent coverage that Freja has been receiving lately, for it seems like she is fashion's current model du jour--the poster girl of model success. It's wonderful for sure, but it also brings bittersweet feelings. I mean, when you're so "of the moment," it's only a matter of time before the moment passes and you're suddenly out of it. Maybe that's my pessimism speaking, but I just don't want Freja to get overexposed and I fear it's happening. Anyway, that isn't the point of this post....sorry to be so scatterbrained. The point is that a few quotes stuck out to me and got me thinking about the issue of celebrity.

Q: "We might think that a lot of models are sort of cookie cutter, completely without personality and importance, but in fact, if you've been on Models.com or the Fashion Spot or Model Manual, there is a fascination with models that seems to be growing. What are your thoughts on this?"

A: "...I don't think this is a fixation on models. It's a fascination with these people and the lives that they lead. Agyness has her music, she has modeling and acting. Each of them is a rock star in their own right. It's a fascination with the celebrity, not the model."

Do you think this is true in Freja's case? And if so, how does this reconcile with her fierce upkeep of privacy outside of modeling? Can Freja be a celebrity when we know essentially nothing about her besides what she shows on the runway, in fashion candids and on magazine pages? Doesn't that just make her simply a model? I've always been curious to know how many people like her for her work, versus those that "like" like her, versus those that like her for her personality and everything it embodies and signifies (the irony of this doesn't escape me considering none of us really know her). I try to focus this blog on the work, and even though I don't really care about all the gossip and whisperings about her personal life, I am fully aware of them. After all, lots of voices whispering together creates a pretty loud sound. So is this the by-product of the celebrity fascination mentioned above? Is the Freja fan domain created out of a fascination with her as a person, instead of the work that she does? Are the two facets mutually exclusive? Or are they rather codependent, with each informing and bolstering the other?

If Freja really was just a model, no one would care about what she did off-duty, what her tattoos means, who she hangs out with, who she sleeps with, etc, etc. But people do care, and I have no idea why they care so much other than to say that models are indeed the new "celebrity." That's disconcerting in a way, because you get a sense that after a while, this fascination begins to come at the price of the work. And this brings me to the second quote from the round table.

"What often happens in fashion, particularly fashion photography, is that everybody is seeking beauty, but with no other thought than combining things that have been approved by everybody else in the industry: best model, best photographer, best studio. All you can think of when looking at the pictures is that they certainly had good salads and sandwiches at the shoot. But it has no charm, no little accidents, no surprises."

In all honestly, this sums up the way I've felt about some (but definitely not all) of Freja's work lately. She's had so much of it since everyone is (seemingly) rushing to capitalize on her popularity and celebrity. But as a result, the moments of awe and inspiration seem diluted. Don't get me wrong....they are still there. But I feel like I have to look harder and longer to find them, and that's frustrating when you feel the pressure to love everything someone does simply because you run a blog about them.

Back when I started this whole thing, I would have been leaping for joy at the success that Freja's had in the past few months. But now that it's here, I can't get that bittersweet taste out of my mouth. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for, right? And just watch.....if Freja ever disappears I'll be howling with frustration at her lack of new work and wishing to recapture this moment where she was on top. (In the voice of Chandler Bing) Can I be anymore fickle and temperamental? I'll just blame it on human nature and utilize another popular saying: the grass is always greener on the other side.

Your thoughts on models, celebrities, model celebrities, Freja, and fickleness? So sorry for the lengthy, stream of consciousness post, but it's pretty quiet news wise so I thought I'd go a little crazy. :)

Image Credits: My Scan

Moving into the Mainstream

I was flipping through the latest issue of Vanity Fair and a picture of Karl and Freja caught my eye. It was taken at the Chanel Soho party back during New York Fashion Week, and I was totally surprised to see Freja referred to by name in the caption. Usually in "society" pictures like these in magazines like VF, the so-called plebeians surrounding the main (famous) focus of the pic are left unnamed and unnoticed. "They know who she is? Really?" Maybe I'm underestimating Freja's popularity, but throughout all her career she's shied away from public events and lived her life firmly outside the public spotlight despite all her successes as a model. She only (finally) moved to NY about a year ago, and she's only been in American Vogue once earlier this year. So yes, I find it strange to read Freja's name in the pages of VF.

First, Rolling Stone; now Vanity Fair. I know it's not a huge deal, but to me it signals a shift. From fringe to mainstream. Up until a year ago, Freja wasn't the type of model who was referenced in these types of magazines. Up until a year ago, it was the likes of Kate and Giselle, and maybe even Lara. And sure, maybe I'm making this more of a big deal then it actually is; but Freja is known enough to be referred to by name in Vanity Fair? She's known enough to be featured in Rolling Stone? WTF? Talk about Twilight Zone. If you had asked me back when I started this blog if Freja would ever work with Meisel, I would have undoubtedly said no. If you had asked me back then if Freja would ever "break into" the mainstream, I would have emphatically said no. Skinny girl, boyish figure, multiple visible tattoos, short hair, hard stare, reluctance to show up at public functions....those things aren't exactly exalted for women in mainstream American media.

But despite all that, Freja seems to be moving into that very mainstream, and it's leaving me a bit dumbfounded. I guess sticking to your guns and being yourself pays off in the end. Maybe that honestly and authenticity she carries so naturally with her is too enticing a thing to resist. I just hope this new visibility doesn't cause Freja to become more self-conscious or contrived, thereby ruining the very thing that got her to this level in the first place. (Isn't that always a risk though? A plight that will always come with notoriety?)

All I can say is that these next few months will be very interesting in terms of the direction Freja's career takes. So much has already happened this past year that I can't even begin to fathom the new possibilities. Can we expect even more exposure and more mentions of Freja in unexpected publications? Or is this it? 2010 has really been a banner year that's it difficult (and even selfish) to imagine or hope for anything more. But right now the possibilities do seem kind of endless.....

Image Credits: My scans

Random Bits: The End of SS11 Edition

I finally had the time to catch up some on non-runway related Freja news, with the help from a few fellow Freja fans of course! Nowadays, there's entirely too much too keep track of, which is a very good thing I guess. Maybe it's not so good if you're trying to be comprehensive. But all any of us can do is try our best, especially coming off the runway season when every other model that you could possibly like has new updates to catch up on every single day. Anyway, here's what's happening off the runway for Freja. Some of it may be old to you, but it's all news to me:


-Freja will star in the upcoming campaign for Danish Jewelry label Georg Jensen. Always nice to see the Danes supporting their biggest model export since Helena Christiansen. TV 2 News in Denmark aired a feature on Freja a little over a month ago, which featured footage from the campaign shoot:

Thanks to the translation skills of AIHBA at tFS, you don't have to feel completely clueless while watching the clip.


-In other campaign news, Freja appears in the Harry Winston Jewelry campaign for Asian Markets. (At least I'm pretty sure it's only in Asian markets since I've never seen such an ad over here in the States.....I could be wrong though.) What's with the sudden proliferation of Jewelry campaigns? Regardless, it's a great step for Freja. Yeah, they're not exactly fashion forward, but they're stable, good paying jobs that require expensive, elegant looking models. Freja is expanding outside her stereotypes yet again, and looking good while doing it. This is why I gripe so much about wanting to see a feminine Freja....because the results looks like this!!

-In the strangest bit of news, Freja made Rolling Stone magazine's Hot List for 2010. I'm sure she must be thrilled, being the huge music aficionado that she is, but this is just so odd to me. For years I think we've all dealt with, and learned to come to terms with, the fact that Freja is a pretty niche model and relatively obscure person in general. (Isn't that part of what made her so special in the first place? You really felt like you discovered something and someone so unique who wasn't tainted by overexposure and extreme public scrutiny.) Now I wonder if and how that will change? Rolling Stone is a major magazine and this is undoubtedly good press and great exposure for Freja. But I'm going to proceed with caution. Either nothing changes and we all continue on like we did before, or we get a sudden influx of fans who are only interested in the "persona" that comes across in the accompanying article, instead of the model who does some really great work. I know I'm probably in the minority, but it's about the work for me and not about the personal life and all that it entails.

-Speaking of persona, Japanese magazine SPUR has a little feature on Freja in their November issue that shows you how you can emulate her style. It's cute, and I think it shows us that Freja is really starting to become a modeling trope, and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

I did a similar feature about a year ago, and looking back you can see how much and how little Freja's style has evolved. It's all basically the same, except now things are just a bit more polished, refined, and probably expensive. :)

Image Credits: bbs.sfileydy.com via tFS member candlebougie, frejabehalove.tumblr.com, twenner.com, vvshu.com via tFS member Flashbang

Press Bits

Just a few recent mentions of Freja that I've rounded up:

-Fashionista doesn't like the current i-D covers featuring Lady Gaga, Kate and Naomi, but they do seem to like Freja. For once I find myself agreeing with them. I think we all would "take Freja over these any day" as well.

-Just last month, NY Mag's The Cut declared Freja the model of the Summer. It seems like their love affair continues as they wonder if the Fall season will fall to Freja as well. They point out that her momentum is going strong into the new season.

-Adding yet another positive firsthand account to the very long and practically flawless list, photographer Andreas Laszlo Konrath had good things to say about Freja when he shot her for New York Magazine's Fall Fashion portfolio. Catching her backstage at Jil Sander and Lanvin, here is part of what Konrath replied when asked about his favorite subjects:

"As for models, Karlie Kloss was the most lovely girl — really amazing. Freja Behar [sic] and Abbey Lee were also very cool and gave me a lot of their time at various shows."

You can browse images from the fashion portfolio here, and if you look through it you'll notice the sheer number of subjects and models Konrath shot throughout the course of the FW1011 shows. So to have Freja (along with Karlie and Abbey) stick out in his mind just reaffirms what we already know, and what we've heard time and time again from other backstage photographers, fans, and people who have had real life encounters with Freja. That she's one of the most affable, courteous, laid back, charismatic, alluring, agreeable, and down to earth models out there working today. Five years going through the ups and downs of the modeling world hasn't given her a big head, a nasty attitude or a sense of entitlement. That, probably above all else, is what makes me proud to be a fan.

-Lastly, no doubt you've been hearing and reading all about the planned events for Fashion's Night Out. The event is being held on September 10th in conjunction with the start of NYFW, and it will also span internationally with stores in countless other countries joining in the festivities with shopping events, concerts, meet and greets, etc. Having browsed through the events happening in NY, I think our best bet for a potential Freja sighting will happen the night before the big event, fittingly enough. Freja has always been one to avoid the spotlight and red carpet events, so I actually don't know if she's taking part in FNO at all. But if she is, I think there is a good chance we could see her at the Chanel dinner hosted by Karl, feting the re-opening of the Soho Chanel boutique.

She's one of the current faces of the brand, and she was just seen traveling with Karl in St. Tropez, complete with a classic Chanel 2.55 flap bag dangling from her shoulder. So I guess we'll see come September 9th....then again, if we don't see Freja at all I won't be surprised. I mean, every season I still hold my breath out of anxious anticipation until I see her on her first catwalk. Anyone else do this too? Just me? Oh...ok. :)

Image Credits: nymag.com

A Contributor

Here's a little addendum to the Interview Magazine editorial I just posted. Continuing on with the trend of model emerging as a personality in her own right, Freja's featured in the "contributors" section of the magazine:

Even if the model appears in the main editorial, she doesn't always get this spotlight. In fact, it's more a rarity than a common occurrence. I think the models that get this feature are ones like Kate Moss, Lara Stone and Daria Werbowy. So no matter how inconsequential something like this may seem, I think it's a pretty big deal and speaks loudly of Freja's rising status as a model.

Image Credits: My Scan