Coming to a TV Near You

We first got word back in November, and then confirmation back in December. Now, finally, the H&M TV spots are here.

Freja is accessible, commercial, yet still totally herself. Which one do you like better? I prefer the first spot myself, because at the end of the second one Freja looks like she wants to kill me, or hurt me, or beat me in a staring contest, or all of the above. It would have been nice to see a more playful expression from her to match the youthfulness of the clothing. After all, yellow ruffles and semi jazz hands are pretty incongruous with death stares.

But maybe it's the unexpected pairing that makes it work? Maybe that's what makes people linger over it....what sells the clothes? I don't know, but I do know that I have a sudden hankering for some yellow ruffles to mix into my all-black wardrobe. Or maybe just a black t-shirt with some yellow on it. ;)

Video Credit: hm.com via youtube user BijuBRANDO

FTV Countdown

This is what all fans wait for. A glimpse at the person behind all the clothes and makeup; the person off the runway and behind the scenes.

This season Freja comes in at #2 on the FTV countdown, up a spot from #3 last season. Bear my cheesiness, but she's like a fine wine, getting better with age. ;)

She also takes the top spot for the city of Milan. No interview; just a compilation of catwalk looks starting at 13:30:

Here are a few things that caught my attention:

-It's funny how we go from always napping backstage at Marni, to literally jumping up and down with energy this season @ 1:15.

-Perhaps we should expect a career transition into music very soon. After all, Freja has a DIY home studio with a plethora of guitars, a piano and drums. That doesn't simply sound like something she does casually on her off days--seems more serious than that to me.

-Oh, so those combat boots Freja was sporting everywhere this past season are Balmain. Who knew? So Christophe makes a $1,000 version of something Doc Martens makes for $100. I'm totally side-eyeing Decarnin right now.

-About a year after her initial move to New York, Freja is moving again. This time to Brooklyn. Why does it feel like everyone and their mother is moving to Brooklyn these days? It's not like the rent is any cheaper...

Anyway, it's always a pleasure to watch these videos. Most of the time, models are seen and not heard, so it's a treat when FTV puts these out after each season. If you have some time to kill, take a look at the rest of the girls making up the top ten.

10. Kasia Struss
9. Ginta Lapina
8. Karmen Pedaru
7. Julija Steponaviciute
6. Monika "Jac" Jagaciak
5. Lindsey Wixson
4. Frida Gustavsson
3. Caroline Brasch Nielsen
2. Freja
1. Karlie Kloss

It's a solid list and I'm happy to see girls like Julija and Karmen included. There are others I could do without, but you win some, you lose some.

Image Credits: afashiontale.dk, bellazon. Videos courtesy of Fashiontv Youtube Channel

Acting Break

Remember this little gem? Yes, the Chanel Pre-Fall video from last year that had Freja portraying a Chinese peasant girl and a Chinese courtesan. Well this year we won't have to suffer through get to enjoy another brilliant piece of film making from Karl because WWD reports that he "...had no time to make a movie," for this year's Chanel pre-fall collection. So Freja won't be in yellow face, or black face, or some other face, to complete Karl's ballsy display of cultural insensitivity. And we won't have to sit through a laughable, but endearing in a weird way, video as we squirm with second hand embarrassment. In fact, it seems like this year is all about modesty and intimacy since the show is not even being held in some far-flung, exotic location as past experience would dictate. No London, Moscow, or Shanghai.

Instead it's being held in the good, old City of Lights.....Gay Paree! Rue Cambon to be exact. Tuesday, December 7th. So mark those calendars, because chances are Freja will be there. Gosh, I can't even remember the last time she missed a Chanel show, be it ready-to-wear, haute couture, resort or pre-fall. Maybe during the infamous SS09 season? Anyway, as WWD reports:

"After taking over every square inch of the vast Grand Palais in Paris for its spring ready-to-wear show earlier this month, Chanel is reverting to more intimate environs for pre-fall. On Dec. 7, the French house plans to show its latest métiers d’arts collection — a luxury rtw line made with the specialty ateliers Chanel owns — where it all started back in 2002: at its Rue Cambon couture salons."

So it seems like Freja fans will get their next fix in just a little less than one month. We might be entering into the holiday season, but fashion never rests. After all, the trends can't set themselves!

Freja on Style.com

OK, the number of comments and e-mails that I've received telling me about this video probably means that you all want me to post it. So here it is:

Thanks to all who informed me of its existence! :) I saw it last week, but didn't think there was anything noteworthy enough to blog about. But I guess general consensus thought otherwise. All I can say is you are a very insistent, but very thoughtful bunch and I do appreciate it. It's comforting to know that if I ever miss anything Freja related, all you wonderful readers will keep me in the loop!

Anyway, like I was saying, there's nothing terribly new or revelatory in this video. It's just nice to get some new candid material every so often, and it's nice to have Style.com recognizing Freja. As time goes on, it seems like more and more fashion outlets are beginning to realize Freja's popularity, so she's definitely well on her way towards cementing her revered status as one of the industry's top contemporary model icons.

Freja seems a bit more demure and polite in this interview, but she comes across just as grounded and as approachable as ever. One of the things I like best about her is that she seems to have a really good head on her shoulders, as cliche as that sounds. Despite years in the industry and all her success, you really get the sense that Freja isn't that much different than she would have been if modeling had not found her. It's this grounded quality that draws fans to her and breeds their intense loyalty. Freja also displays a trademark confidence that we've come to know, but it's tempered by glimpses of a vulnerability. This push/pull is best summed up by this quote about walking for Prada:

"It was definitely nerve racking. I remember being really nervous before, but that's a feeling that goes away. You get used to it and now I've done so many shows. It's pretty simple. You just have to walk so.....it's not so much to get nervous about."

This is why fans love her. She's effortless, comforting, cool and relatable all at the same time.

New York SS11 Recap

New York Fashion Week S/S 11 - 13 Shows Total
2 Opening Slots
3 Closing Slots

Alexander Wang (C) - 1 Look
Anna Sui - 2 Looks
Carolina Herrera - 1 Look
Derek Lam - 2 Looks
Diesel Black Gold - 2 Looks
Marc Jacobs (C) - 1 Look
Michael Kors - 3 Looks
Narciso Rodriguez (C) - 2 Looks
Oscar de la Renta - 2 Looks
Ports 1961 (O) - 3 Looks
Rag & Bone (O) - 1 Look
Tom Ford - 1 Look
Vera Wang - 3 Looks

New season, new venue, and arguably a new Freja. With the Bryant Park tents long gone and the glamor of Lincoln Center now commonplace, I feel like we saw a new/old version of Freja this time around in New York.

Don't believe me? I'll let a few names explain what I mean: Carolina, Anna, Oscar, Vera and Tom. All designers known for a certain type of femininity and lauded for the way they can dress a woman. Yes, the model constantly heralded as the archetype of androgyny has grown up and returned to a softness and femininity that characterized the very early seasons of her career. I have to think that this new/old look is closely tied to the length of her hair, which is noticeably longer this show season than it has been since she first cut it all off in September of 2008. It's interesting how so much can ride on so little....but that's another story for another day.

The week started off strong with two shows on Friday, and two opening looks. After skipping last season's show due to illness, Freja came back to open this season's Rag & Bone show. In one day, she went from being strapped in and harnessed, to being soft and flouncy with three looks at Ports 1961, including the opening one. This would merely be the first instance in what I saw as a noticeable return to femininity that I mention above. Less pants and tough girl looks, more dresses and gowns.

Continuing on with her prominent placement in shows, Freja closed the Alexander Wang show on Saturday. She's always been a favorite of Alex's and the two seem to have developed a nice working relationship over the years. Not to mention that Freja is constantly seen wearing his clothes and carrying his bags, so we can assume the feelings of admiration are mutual.

Sunday brought with it two shows. Derek Lam in the morning, and the surprising Tom Ford at night. Freja is a fixture at Derek's shows now, but most people would never have pegged her for a Tom Ford woman. Things have a way of changing, yet remaining the same. A few years ago, Freja with the long hair and fringe would have fit in perfectly with the Ford aesthetic circa 2004. But as all modern woman are apt to do, she underwent changes and transformations in her life and appearance. It's those very changes that inform who she is today, and make her (in my mind) a great Tom Ford woman for the new decade. Different, yet still the same.

One of the things I like most about Freja is how versatile of a model she is. People don't give her enough credit for that, preferring to pigeonhole her into one role and niche. On Monday she displayed that versatility brilliantly with her three shows. At Caroline Herrera she showed us refined elegance. At Diesel Black Gold she showed us modern toughness. And at Marc Jacobs she showed us a glamorous throwback to decadent beauty. Only a few models can carry off such different images in one day. And to top it all off, she closed the MJ show, which is a really big deal because it's considered to be the marquee show of NYFW. Go Freja!

On Tuesday, Freja returned to the runway for Vera Wang, a show she last walked during the SS09 season two years ago. It was Vera's special 20th Anniversary show, so it was nice to see Freja take part with three looks. There are so many designers who seem to have good relationships with Freja that it might be easier to keep track of the ones who don't. ;) Late in the day, Freja walked in and closed the Narciso Rodriguez show in a stunningly beautiful look. The gown was minimal, yet it made such a powerful statement in it's simplicity and Freja just looked absolutely radiant. So many times during the week I felt like I was being transported back 4 years ago. Freja seems to have retained (or regained) the innocence and excitement that comes so naturally to the young models just starting out in their careers.

As the week went on, Freja slowed down just a bit, maybe in preparation for the rest of the cities? When I say slow down, I mean she stopped closing and opening shows and didn't walk in a few shows I thought she would be at. Anyway, Freja walked for Michael Kors and Anna Sui on Wednesday. If you haven't already seen it, you have to watch this cute pre-show video of fittings for the Kors show. Freja is featured prominently, along with an appearance by Karmen.

On the last day of NYFW, Freja walked the Oscar de la Renta runway for only the second time in her career. Last season was her debut and she opened and closed the show. This season she had two looks. I've noticed that as her career progresses, the type of shows Freja walks in changes as well--ODLR and Anna Sui being the two most prominent examples. But I guess that's a given for any model who's been around as long as Freja has. You have to change it and keep things interesting.

Now we're off to London! Actually, the shows have already started today. Will Freja walk? I'm not sure, but I'd like to think so. She doesn't have a showcard, but no showcard doesn't always mean no model. Especially when it comes to models of Freja's status and seniority. So stay tuned!

Image Credits: style.it, contributormagazine.com

Campaign Miscellany

-Valentino has released a backstage video from their F/W 10.11 campaign:

You can see Freja, Tati and Jac hard at work posing and working those camera angles. Most of them time I always find behind the scenes stuff infinitely more interesting than the actual final product, and this is really no exception. The film is in color and you get to experience that lovely dimension here, while it was sadly lacking in the print ads. We also lost a lot of the beauty and impact of the setting. Up until this campaign, the Valentino headquarters located in the Palace Vendôme had never been privy to public eyes. Did you see the gilded gold mirrors and marble busts? That kind of stuff is amazing, and color images would have done more justice to their beauty and history. I just think that if you're going to debut a place with such history behind it to the public eye, you should execute it with more venerability and deference.

-Freja is the face of two different Korean brands this season. Full image sets have been released and you can see them in their entirety at tFS. Small previews below:

ab.f.z

SJ SJ

Freja looks beautiful as always, but there is nothing groundbreaking going on here. And frankly, that isn't what I expect from foreign campaigns. The brands who can afford to hire international models like Freja are usually pretty commercial and mass-market in their respective countries. And when you deal with mass-market you deal with straightforward, broad appeal. No boundaries pushed, no predilections offended. You're trying to sell clothes to as many people as possible, and when you're not aiming for a very particular section of the population, you're aiming for the biggest chunk of it. Exclusive vs inclusive. Specific vs broad. High fashion vs mass market. Funny how Freja is seemingly considered commercial in Korea, while here in the US she's seen as more of an edgy, fringe model. Go figure.

Image Credits: ab.f.z via tFS members Jet luk, sj-sj.co.kr via tFS members candlebougie

St. Tropez Fun

It was great to see Freja back on the runway again. Despite donning three disparate looks, I thought she looked refreshed, comfortable and happy to be walking. Then again, who wouldn't be happy getting whisked away to St. Tropez this time of year to walk on the beach and play Chanel themed Bocce Ball?

The rest of the cast was made up of a mix of old and new models, all who seemed to be having a blast walking (mostly) barefoot around the cafe like beachfront setting. No matter what you think about Karl and his designs, he sure knows how to put on a good time for everyone, audience and models included. (There's a reason why Chanel is the one show that most models want to walk.)

We saw all of the usual suspects walking, but we also saw the likes of Crystal Renn, Tanga Moreau, Marloes Horst and Veroniek Gielkens making for one very interesting, unexpected and diverse cast. But diverse only in age, body shape and industry experiences. Racial diversity was glaringly non-existent, which is especially surprising to me since we're coming off a FW1011 runway season that saw breakthroughs for a wide variety of girls from different backgrounds: Lais Ribeiro, Joan Smalls, Mengyao Xi, Sun Fei Fei and Carla Gebhart immediately come to mind. Where were they?

Anyway, Karl's full film "Remember Now" also premiered in conjunction with the runway show:

There is surprisingly little of Freja to be seen throughout, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it and taking into consideration the Paris-Shanghai film. For me, this film was definitely less cringe-worthy and actually pretty enjoyable. I'm going to attribute it to the fact that there was less talking and more dancing/partying. Taken for what it is--a tone piece meant to showcase the attitude of the collection--the film delivers and the models do a great job. Karl isn't pretending to be Spielberg here, so as long as you recognize that it's pretty easy to revel in the sheer entertainment value of it all. And I have to say that I laughed so hard when Uncle Karl made his cameo. Never change Karl....never change. And never stop using Freja for your work. It's something I've come to expect and frankly, depend upon. It's reliable and it comforts me, and that's a very rare thing to find in this industry that thrives off of trends and constant change. So even if I do complain sometimes, it's out of love and appreciation.

Your thoughts? Am I the only one who didn't mind the film? Thoughts on the runway casting? Did your favs walk? Didn't you think Freja looked good?

Image Credits: wwd.com

Whetted Appetites

Don't forget.....Chanel Cruise show tomorrow, and premiere of the full Remember Now short film on Chanel News at 7:30 pm CET, meaning 1:30 pm EST. To get yourself ready, check out the trailer above if you haven't yet, and watch for glimpses of Elisa, Freja, Anja, Magdalena, Karolina, Abbey Lee and Baptiste (natch). Aren't you just dying to see how good/bad/so bad it's good the final product will turn out to be?

Over the weekend, models were dispatched in full force to St. Tropez, including Dorothea, Hanne, Jacquelyn, Sigrid and many more. Add all the girls in the film and the runway is sure to be full of all your favorite models. Short of sitting on a beach in St. Tropez myself, I can't think of a better way to usher in warm weather than catching Chanel Cruise looks on all the girls I've been missing since the end of FW1011. Good job Karl...our appetites are sufficiently whetted and we're ready for the full course!

St. Tropez - 8 Months Later

Last week WWD and Fashionologie told us that Karl and Heidi Mount would be in St. Tropez this week to work on another short film for the Chanel Cruise Collection set to show in May.

"He’s zooming down to Saint-Tropez to shoot a minimovie for Chanel’s cruise show on May 11. It will feature model Heidi Mount and French actor Pascal Greggory."

Well it turns out that Freja and a handful of other models are in St. Tropez too, presumably all working on that Chanel short film. Pictures have surfaced of Abbey Lee, Freja, Heidi Mount, Karolina Kurkova, Leigh Lezark and Magdalena Frackowiak all walking around in what I assume are looks from the upcoming Cruise show:

Curiously missing from Karl's crew is Baptiste. But perhaps he's still hard at work on that upcoming album. That's the only reason I can come up with for his absence at both last month's Chanel campaign shoot and this month's set in St. Tropez.

I have all my extremities and appendages crossed in the hopes that this film will be better and more culturally sensitive than the last Chanel short film that Karl did for the Paris-Shanghai Pre-Fall Collection. Not that we have much to go by from the pictures above, but things are looking good so far.

Oh, and as the title of this post says, Freja was in St. Tropez about 8 months ago if you can remember. She was there last August with Karl, but I really can't recall why.

It must be nice to be a part of Karl's entourage. Gotta wonder though--with the Cruise collection showing on May 11th, and most European air travel currently debilitated by a cloud of volcanic ash, will Freja, Karl, Heidi and co. just stay in St. Tropez for the rest of the month? And since Leigh and Karolina are also in the film (and not Chanel runway regulars), can we expect to see them walk the Cruise runway as well? Sometimes the more you know, the more you realize how much you don't know. Oh well. At least we know what Abbey, Freja, Heidi and Magdalena will be doing May 11th.

Image Credits: bauergriffin via VogueElle Addict @ tFS, fashionologie, plejada.pl via slow_hands @ tfS, WENN via ERIKIMISUN @ tFS

First Face Countdown

For those who haven't seen it yet:

Priceless, witty, comedy gold. I love that Karmen is standing there laughing her ass off during the entire interview. And maybe it's just me, but I feel like her dry humor is rubbing off on Freja here. Compare the above interview to this one from just last season and the difference is palpable, at least to me:

Gotta love FTV for these interviews. And huge thanks to tFS member Medicine Man for capturing and sharing the video in the first place, and for user T Dot at vimeo for uploading it with sound.

Forays into Acting

I love you Freja, but I hope you're not one of those models who wants to transition into acting. Considering that you've probably never had any formal training, and that music seems to be more of your passion, I do think this was a valiant and commendable first effort on your part. However, you should probably stick to your day job.

Then again, you shouldn't be penalized for the execution of this concept. I'm sure it was pretty hard for you to identify with the roles you were asked to play seeing as you're from Denmark and not from China. A Chinese girl and a Chinese courtesan aren't characters I would ever relate to you, but I suppose such details as ethnic authenticity don't matter to the Kaiser. And I'm sure it was hard to recite that choppy and ridiculous dialogue with a straight face. I know I would have been laughing my ass off if I had to pretend I was talking to Coco Chanel.

Anyway, what matters here is that Karl is once again supporting your career and that is something I will always commend him for doing, no matter how bored I get seeing you only work with him. I gotta wonder though, does he have you and Baptiste under contract as part of his official traveling entourage? If so, does this contract maybe have a clause somewhere that allows you to work with other people like Nick Knight, Paolo Roversi, Camilla Akrans and Solve Sundsbo? I certainly hope so.

Starting @ 6:00


Starting at the beginning and going until 2:45


Starting @ 2:50 and going until 4:00


This was quite entertaining, but I'm much more impressed by the runway pictures from the show:

Karl always knows how to transport us to another world. It's escapism at it's best when we need it the most. While the quagmire in Afghanistan escalates, the debate on health care reform continues on, and the global economic downturn dominates, we can always count on Karl (and the fashion industry in general) to give us a world where these concerns don't exist. For this reason, most people consider fashion to be a frivolity. But it is precisely because of this reason why I consider fashion to be an absolute necessity.

Your thoughts on the vid? Freja's acting ability? The show? Freja working with Meisel (I still can't believe it)? And thanks to all the people who left comments telling me that the vid was up. It's sweet of you all to think of me, but I am a member at tFS so I already see the news as it's posted. Sorry, but I just can't update this blog instantaneously. So just because I don't post about something doesn't mean I don't know about it. Often times I'm waiting and thinking about what I want to post and how I want to post it. I don't want to post for the sake of posting....and isn't that what Freja's thread at tFS is for? ;)

Image Credits: wwd