Hall of Fame: Fans Love Freja
Remember six weeks ago when we asked you, yes you, fabulous modelizing fans, to vote for your favorite mannequin? Raging cat fights ensued, kung-fu champions introduced (please don’t hurt us Karls…), and Louboutins became even more wickedly dangerous than Kim Jong-il. We laughed, we cried, we cheered… and we sent snail mail to modeling agencies mourning over their girls’ ravaged manicures. Amidst all this torturous turmoil, the tournament received over ten-thousand votes (!), and one model emerged victorious. So who’s the lucky looker? All hail Denmark’s dark horse Freja Beha Erichsen! Stunning, risk-taking, rebellious, and edgy, it’s no surprise the inked tomboy has won herself a smitten, dedicated fan base, one that includes the ever-faithful Karl Lagerfeld, Frida Giannini, and Carine Roitfeld as adoring admirers. She shot down Lara, Coco, Raquel, and Sasha, a miraculous feat considering those girls have racked up dozens of campaigns and beauty deals, been hailed as modern supermodels, and posed on covers for the fashion gods at American Vogue. Is it obvious I was rooting for Lily Donaldson in the finals? Not a registered Freja fan or a particular enthusiast of unconventional beauty, I consider Freja’s range to be weaker than her aforementioned peers and therefore find her a less faceted model. But that is not to discredit her statement-making attributes that have won over legions of followers: she possesses an arresting angsty quality that is unmatched by any of her compatriots, she can simultaneously exude strength and vulnerability, she’s a trailblazer for androgynous beauty, and, amazingly, she can pull off any tweedy Chanel number without looking like an old lady. And of course, can anyone else rock such a wide variety of iconic hairstyles with such a chic, devil-may-care attitude? Not a chance. Freja is absolutely one and her own, and for that we are overjoyed to welcome her into the Pretty Young Thing Hall of Fame. Click continue reading for more of Freja’s work.
Remember the extravagant reign of the supermodels? When personality, attitude, and personal style held as much cache as a girl’s body, face, and booker? It seems a long time gone, as the low-key models of today are rarely recognized on streets and hardly worthy of an American paparazzi-following (unless you’re part of Victoria’s Secret’s plastic brigade or are one of those fifteen-minutes of fame LA girls with a model/actress title attached to her name as closely as she is to her megastar boyfriend- paging Amber Rose!). But back in the glory days- we’ll take you back to the decade between the late ’80s to the late ’90s- the striking ladies affectionately known as the Trinity held the cards: Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington. They were known the world over by just their first names only- Christy had the megawatt smile and all-American glow, Naomi was the feisty fire-cracker with a penchant for drama, and Linda was the motivated chameleon who was as professional as she was most-wanted. Their fan base was smitten. The trio didn’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day. They went out at night in band-aid Herve Leger and revealing Thierry Mugler, partying ’til sunrise with flashy legends like Gianni Versace, Steven Meisel, and Marc Jacobs- all integral members of their luxuriously exclusive clique. They starred in music videos for rock stars, and occasionally they fell into dating them. The models’ enviously toned bodies were sought after by aerobics-addicts and tongue-wagging body-builders alike. And to top off the high life, the girls fronted every magazine with a respectable fashion following. They were total glamazons. Together, they broke down barriers, with Linda and Christy refusing to work without their bestie Naomi when black models were few and far between. The mannequins quick-changed seamlessly from grunge chicks to athletic goddesses, minimal purists to sparkling babes, sex bombs to natural beauties. They worked alongside the best and the brightest and weren’t afraid to call their own shots. Since this fashion gilded age, Christy has become a doting mother, philanthropist, and yogi, Linda has fought for AIDS and breast cancer awareness, and Naomi has thrown cell-phones at assistants and maids. Talk about multi-taskers! They were and continue to be independent, fearless, courageous women. Hall of Fame worthy? Please- are there any models more qualified?