Coincidence?

Soooo, after finally getting some time to catch up on all the fashion news I missed after a busy week, I came across a few interesting news bits that got the gears in my mind turning. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing, but the following bits of info are interesting nonetheless:

First comes news from tFS that Mert & Marcus were in London this past week shooting the Versace ad campaign.

Second comes a great tip from thoughtful reader Lita Larkin on this old post about seeing Freja in London last week on April 6th.

Now, if you can remember back to this past runway season, Freja walked the Hakaan show for the first time ever, and she showed up at Givenchy again after a long absence. I thought it was interesting back then, but in light of recent events, it seems even more interesting and telling now. Which two photographers have close ties to both brand? Yes, that's right....the same two photographers who just shot the Versace campaign in London....the very same city where Freja was just spotted.

Could it just be a coincidence? Yes. Lots of things are shot in London, and Freja could have just been stopping over on her way to Monaco. On the other hand, Could it mean that she shot the campaign? Possibly. She's always been a Donatella fav and now that she seems to have entered into the good graces of Mert & Marcus and revamped her image into a feminine sexpot, Freja doesn't seem like a far-fetched choice for the campaign. I guess we'll find out for sure when campaign news is officially released. ;)

New Directions? Collaborators?

Paris is nearly over and Freja is there in full force, but the biggest story for me is her appearance at two shows this week. Hakaan and Givenchy, to be specific.

The last time Freja walked for Givenchy was back during the F/W 07/08 season. Four years later she shows up once again on Tisci's catwalk, also having walk for the first time in Hakaan's runway show earlier in the week.

Now what's so interesting about this you might ask? It's no secret that both Hakaan and Ricardo have the blessing and heavy backing of photographers Mert & Marcus and Carine Roitfeld. So what does it mean that Freja showed up at both shows this season? And all of this in light of Carine's recent resignation and uncertain future placement? Maybe nothing at all, other than a simple casting decision. But I'd like to think it means something more in regards to Freja's future editorial and campaign bookings.

Just something to think about and mull over on this Sunday afternoon. Castings in Paris have seemed unpredictable all week so I'm not saying this means anything at all. On the other hand, it would be nice to see another new direction for Freja's career, and new collaborators for her to work with.

Image Credits: style.com, vogue.it

Will she or won't she?

It's been quite entertaining and informative to keep up with all of your comments on the previous post. I guess I didn't realize exactly how much some of you care if Freja walks this season or not. For me, I just kind of accepted the fact that she wasn't going to be walking, welcomed the break from chronicling her season, and took the opportunity to follow the shows more closely. But if Freja is your absolute, hands down favorite model, then I can absolutely understand the unwavering hope that she will eventually turn up this season.

So to stoke that hope even further, models.com has put up IMG's Paris showcards and Freja's is included in the bunch. But don't necessarily take this as confirmation of anything, for Freja had the same showcard for Milan and didn't show up at any shows. At this point, all we can do is wait and see.

Even if Freja ends up skipping the season entirely, her career won't be much affected. She's cemented her status as a top model, working icon and cult figure. She's reached the point that all models hope to reach: the point were her career is self sustaining based on her reputation, extensive oeuvre, and all the hard work she put in for 12 straight seasons. One missed catwalk season isn't going to push her out of the minds of the photographers, editors, and stylists who have worked with her before, and who want to work with her in the future.

Some of you might still remember SS08 when she missed most of Paris, or SS09 when she missed most of Milan and ALL of Paris. That was earlier in her career and she managed to bounce back, no problems. In fact, she came back stronger than ever. I guess if you're a seasoned Freja fan, you've come to expect and learned to deal with her runway absences.

So in the meantime, let's enjoy her Vogue Brasil cover shot by Henrique Gendre, and be happy that she's being given the opportunity to display all the other facets of her modeling abilities. Feminine Freja FTW! ;)

Image Credits: models.com