iStyle: Model behaviour - Freja Beha Erichsen dons denim for charity

Freja Beha Erichsen has collaborated with Mother denim in aid of charity, says Rebecca Gonsalves

We all know that there’s far more to modelling than meets the eye – gone are the days when it was enough to turn up and look pretty. While brands are asking even more from the stars of their campaigns, those in front of the camera have taken to getting their money’s worth from such connections, too.

Take Freja Beha Erichsen, the Danish model who has fronted campaigns for Saint Laurent, Valentino and Prada and is using her time in the spotlight to campaign for causes she feels passionately about.

To raise awareness of, and just as importantly funds for, the work that charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) does, Erichsen has embarked on her first collaboration, choosing to work with premium denim line Mother on a capsule collection. “I much admire the hard work and dedication of all the doctors, nurses and volunteers who devote their time to help people in need worldwide. MSF is often the first NGO to respond to crisis and, in some cases, the only NGO present in some of these conflicts,” says Erichsen, who has been shot by Inez and Vinoodh for this campaign.

“I like the idea of contributing in this small way and hopefully create a bit of awareness along with some funds that will help enable the volunteers to do their life-saving work worldwide.”

The clothes themselves are no-fuss and gimmick-free: “The collection is very true to my style. Seeing how I’m not a designer, my goal was to simply make things I wanted to wear,” confesses Erichsen of the line she has dubbed must-have basics.

“It became a process to get the blackest black, for instance and experimenting with different types of dye in order to find one that lasts the best after several washes.”

Co-founders Lela Becker and Tim Kaeding say that Freja embodies what they feel Mother is all about. “Her presence is what drew us to her, but it was her charitable nature that made this collaboration so special,” Becker says.