Identification

Freja Beha, the Rock N Roll Star
i-D Magazine Spring 2010
Ph: Emma Summerton
Styling: Edward Enninful

After seeing Freja's i-D cover, I have to admit that I didn't have high hopes for her editorial inside. Well, I was most definitely pleasantly surprised by the lovely, albeit too short, only-girl story. Just four shots; all of them upper body ones with one profile shot. They're almost like a series of portraits, and that's what I think is so interesting about them. We haven't seen Freja in a story like this, so it's great to see her continually expand her fashion portfolio and her ability to converse with the camera.

With a story that's set up like this, I really think it's intent is to bring focus to the details of the clothes, rather than the full head-to-toe looks. At least, those details are what stood out to me enough that I ironically ended up wanting to see the runway looks in their entirety anyway. Like, I saw the intricacies in the Louise Golden piece and I just had to see the whole thing for comparison. The details made me appreciate the whole look....and the same can be said for the model.

By focusing on the natural charisma and grace of Freja's face (the details) this editorial makes us appreciate all her abilities as a model (the whole package). Earlier on I asked the question "Androgyny or femininity?" Well, here we have the perfect example of how easily and effortlessly Freja can traveling between both poles. This editorial is a great model profile piece in that it provides the girl with a vehicle by which to display her full skill and range in subtlety and emotion. To be able to carry this off successfully, you have to be a model who's well versed in all facets of human emotion and who's able to convey them with a slight alteration of the mouth here, or a slight arch of the brow there.

With the title bearing Freja's name, it's clear that she's supposed to be the star here and she most certainly delivers even within the limitation of four short pages. I love that she can be strong and dominant, showing us different aspects of her personality here. But she can just as easily be a mere clothes hanger, if the situation calls for it, letting the clothes take focus as was the case in her Vogue UK editorial.

I feel like this is a theme that I continually re-visit: how Freja moves freely about along all these different spectrums. Androgyny/femininity, high fashion/commercial appeal, strong/demure, etc... If I've learned anything from all the time that I spend analyzing and dissecting Freja's career, it's that in order to be a good model-nay a great one-you have to be able to be all things to all people but never lose the essence of your being in the process. It's quite the tall order, but all the tops girls can do it/have done it. Think Raquel. Think Daria. And people believe modeling is easy....well, it doesn't seem so easy to me.

Image Credits: Scans by yala_agni @ Fashion_Screen LiveJournal, style.it, vogue.co.uk

Springtime Will Punch You in the Face

At least that's what comes to my mind when I see Freja's latest cover for the Spring 2010 issue of i-D Magazine. Nothing about this says "spring" to me except for the bright green background. Maybe that explains why it seems photoshopped in at the last minute. Quick! How do we make this look more spring-y? I know! Make the background green. Genius.

The cover was shot by Emma Summerton, who is a wonderful photographer. Therefore, I have a hard time believing that this was the best option for a cover shot out of all the images that she took. It doesn't really bear the distinctive and defining characteristics of her usual work. The hair is an overwhelming mop, the angle is distracting (making Freja look even thinner than she already is) and the styling is bland. Freja also looks rather menacing. I just don't believe in this image as a cover hailing the arrival of Spring. i-D covers are usually a complete hit or miss for me though. And compared to the last cover that Freja had, this one's shortcomings become even more obvious to me:

Then again, I'd be a very happy women if the words androgynous and/or boy and Freja never appeared in the same sentence ever again. At the very least I'm thrilled that Freja is working with Emma! Their first and only other collaboration yielded this lovely editorial with Lily. So hopefully the inside story will be a bit more inspired and polished in it's execution and aesthetic. One thing that I do kind of like about this cover is that it seems to capture the essence of who Freja appears to be off the runway. It seems like it could be a candid shot of her backstage during the shows; but ironically enough, that's also a reason why this cover doesn't work for me as a cover. It just seems amateurish. What do you think? Am I just too biased against anything androgynous when it comes to Freja, or do I have some legitimate concerns here?

And good god Freja...when was the last time you took a break from working? The rate at which you're putting out new work is alarmingly fast....not that I'm complaining. But still, I think my wallet and typing fingers could use a rest and I'm sure you could too.

Image Credits: ftape.com via tFS member Flashbang, scan by tfS member Diciassette (17)