FREDERIQUE AND THE CITY BY ELLEN VON UNWERTH

Frederique and The City

Frederique van der Wal by Ellen von Unwerth

Clothing by Georgine

Makeup by Romero Jennings

There is no denying that Ellen von Unwerth and Frederique van der Wal are legends in the fashion world. Between the photographer and Supermodel, there is a prolific collection of coffee-table compendium worthy images that, through the years, have inspired a generation of photography enthusiast and fashion fanatics alike. 

The universe brought the two fashion juggernauts together when they discovered they lived in the same New York City apartment building. Together, with fashion designer Georgine Ratelband the two icons have created images in Ellen von Unwerth’s unmistakable aesthetic of “sex, fun and rock & roll.” Iris Covet Book documented the chat between Ellen, Frederique and Georgine on how this shoot came together, staying creative during lockdown and their plans for 2021.

IRIS: Hi ladies, can you give us a little background on how you and Ellen met and how long you have known each other.

ELLEN: Ok yes, we know each other because we live on the same floor in the same building in New York and we run into each other often. You know, we’ve always said let’s shoot together but never found the right time. But this one morning I came home and saw Frederique with a totally new look. Her hair was totally blonde and you know how I love a blonde! I said “Oh my God this is the moment. We have to shoot!”. So, I called Georgine and I asked her if she wanted to join and Georgine offered us pieces from her collection.

FREDERIQUE: I’ve always adored Ellen’s work and strangely enough we had never yet worked together. Somehow it hadn’t happened until both of us, this past September were stuck in New York City.
Then it all came together…this sexy rock and roll Ellen element mixed with the city and the roof. It was very inspiring. For me sometimes, you have these moments when you really get your adrenaline going and that’s how the shoot felt for me. It felt great! It was a day where the playfulness was there, the fun, the sexiness, the rock and roll. It was so Ellen and then the fantastic clothes by Georgine.

GEORGINE: It was very spontaneous And it came together very effortlessly which I enjoyed very much! I think Ellen called me two days before the shoot, I pulled a variety of looks for Frederique that I thought would suit her and we were ready to rock & roll!

ELLEN: Yes, but also you look incredible in the pictures! It’s one thing to see you coming in and out of our building every day but when you see the pictures, you’re like “Wow! There’s Frederique the supermodel!”. I was really blown away when I saw the pictures. Also, it’s very intimate because it’s in my apartment and our roof. A small home production with friends.

IRIS: Frederique, I was reading about a new venture that you have called lifecycles. Is that a project of yours that we can look forward to later this year?

FREDERIQUE: Yes, I created a series with newswire.fm where I visit friends and or celebs from different industries. I’m always riding around on my bike and I talk about life in New York and what keeps them there and we discuss their ups and downs and inspirations. We did our first seven and we featured a bunch of people from different artistic backgrounds. As in fantastic singer Marieme Diop, actor/director Griffin Dunne, designers Badgley Mischka, architect Winka Dubbeldam who did both Ellen and my apartment. An amazing mix of people and it’s coming out this year. It was really fun and it’s a good thing to show the love we all have for New York City. It’s funny, I’m not a Native New Yorker but I do feel like I’m a Dutch-New Yorker.

Whatever happens, the city breathes a sort of inspiration. It’s the mix of people, the wild experiences which can happen in the city at any moment. It just makes it such a special place. I think New York has such a heartbeat. It keeps you coming back to it.

ELLEN: Each time I’m coming from the airport and I see the skyline I just think “Wow, I’m coming home.” You know? I really feel like this is my city. It is so special because even when I’m in Paris, Berlin and all these other beautiful cities, it’s still not like being in New York. Of course, it’s a sad time at the moment, but I love how quickly and creatively they built up all the outdoor seating restaurants. Some of them with really nice decorations and music. It’s nice to see how New York always overcomes challenges.

FREDERIQUE: And also, that resilience of a New Yorker. It’s interesting to see it from a European perspective. For example, the Dutch if you would say to people you have to take another job or you have to come up with an idea to have a different approach to what you’ve been doing, it’s harder for them. But here in New York people are like “Yes let’s go for it! Come on let’s do it!” And I love that.

GEORGINE: New Yorkers are so strong and also very flexible and easy to adapt to a new situation.

ELLEN: It’s also kind of a survival mode of being a New Yorker. You don’t have the luxury to wait things out, you have to be creative to make it there.

IRIS: What are some things you have been doing during the lockdown to stay creative?

ELLEN: I still have been working but of course much less than normal. Productions have slowly started again with many precautions with testing and mask and everything. You never know how the virus reacts so it’s always stressful after a shoot to not know if you might have it or how your body might react to it. I also did some facetime shoots. Like facetiming a shoot in Paris and another in LA. So, I guess we have found new ways of being creative which is the good side of things I suppose.
It can be kind of fun because you feel very voyeuristic since you’re practically in somebody’s apartment.
And then I’m like “Oh, I want to see what is over there… ok you could just sit over there you know and pose like this.” It does feel weird. I would much rather be with somebody in person of course.

FREDERIQUE: I think that the future will be more about coming together. I think we will see more value in what we are doing because of this time of reflection. And be a little bit more focused on what we really want to do. And I think when you do that, as in organizing this shoot and being surrounded with people you like, it creates something great.

ELLEN: I don’t always photograph the people I love for jobs, but I think we can definitely focus more on what we want to say through our work. Now that we see that time is precious and we can’t waste it, I think it’s more important than ever.

IRIS: One of the things that you talked about is reflection. Since we all had much more time for personal reflection, was there anything that you learned about yourself this past year?

FREDERIQUE: Well, I was quite lucky that I could escape to upstate New York where I have a farm. We were able to go back and forth from there and back to the city. It was so nice to be in nature, how healing that was actually. And I realized how much I loved the time I spent in nature and in the garden. Planting and gardening with all this free time felt new to me and it was different to have this solitude with just a few people at my house. Of course, I miss going out and I’m dying to go dancing and to go to all the fun events, but it was interesting to realize how much I actually love being more in nature and working with my hands. So, I ended up creating gardens, planting vegetable, and painting. I loved it.

GEORGINE: We got back from Paris Fashion Week and doing a last minute trunk show in Texas and enjoyed the time off. We are always on the run between places and running around so it was great to have a moment to relax. Catched up on a lot of tv shows and re-watched some classic movies and of course did a lot of cooking.But after a couple of weeks I felt very restless and needed a project. We have always wanted to renovate our showroom and give it new light. This seemed the perfect time for it. If not now, then when? We started with the kitchen area, and before I knew it, we reimagined our entire space and were living in a construction zone for the next 8 months!

ELLEN: And we went to our country home and we always go there for winters. We have a huge cherry tree in the garden and we actually got to see it blooming this summer and it was so amazing. It was a good time to really appreciate it. We also did some vegetable gardening. I also just photographed everything in sight from rain drops on the leaves, to the bees, to my neighbor’s horses. And I really feel like I experienced nature in a very intense way.

IRIS: What new projects should we expect from you this year? Frederique let’s start with you.

FREDERIQUE: Yes, there’s a couple of shoots that I did. I did a story for Vogue Living on my place in upstate New York and I’m actually working on a television program. It’s a bit futuristic where we will use virtual reality. We will follow how certain products come to us. In 2D and also in 3D. For example, the artists from Studio Drift, they create amazing light art and we follow their journey through their creative process. I’ve also decided that I should write a book. It came to me while I did a ‘journey’. I will see once I start writing if it indeed moves me and if it’s something I would like to see to completion and published.

IRIS: Georgine?

GEORGINE: Actually, as I’m talking to you guys, I’m sketching some proposals for the First Lady. It’s very exciting! After redoing our space I’ve ventured into interior design besides designing collections because many of our clients that have come over to our space since we did the renovation were so enamored by the space that they asked me to help them redo their homes! I’m also working on a new spring line and trying to improve my italian by taking classes via zoom.

IRIS: And then Ellen what about your plans for 2021?

ELLEN: I am planning to do another photography book because people are still so fascinated with the time of the supermodels and I lived that time you know? I shot with Naomi when she was 16, I discovered Claudia and Eva and I have so many pictures. So, I think it’s actually a good time to pull them all out. The glamourous fashion from the nineties in a book will be my next project. I also got asked to do a very exciting project which is to create a cabaret burlesque show in Los Angeles in a very special venue. It’s not really what I do but why not? I want to try different things, so why not? It’s good to go in a bit of a different direction sometimes. Everyone is going to be so ready to go out, so I’m super excited about it.

Frederique with designer Georgine

Photography: Ellen von Unwerth @ellenvonunwerth

Model: Frederique van der Wal @frederiquevdwal

Makeup: Romero Jennings @romerojennings

Clothing: Georgine @georginestudio

HANNAH, I’M BACK.

Eco leather body, corset and trouser – Stelios Koudounaris, Sandals – Saint Laurent

 

Photography & Direction – Joey Leo / @_joeyleo_

Styling – Aristides Zois / @aristides_zois

Make-up – Efi Ramone / @efi_ramone

Hair – Konstantinos Sakkas / @ksakkas

Model – Hannah Vincent / @vincent.han.gogh

Agency – D Models Agency / @dmodelagency

 

Blazer – Louis Vuitton

 

Oversized wool suit – Natty World, Latex strapless top – Angelika Darkling, Sandals – Saint Laurent, Gold chain – Vourakis Jewels

 

Shirt and skirt – Stelios Koudounaris

 

Silk shirt and leather skirt – Tom Ford, Sandals – Gianvito Rossi

 

Corset and balloon skirt – Natty World, Sandals – Saint Laurent, Necklace with diamonds – Vourakis Jewels

 

Jacket with embroidery – Natty World, Velvet skirt – Tom Ford, Sandals – Saint Laurent

 

Leather strapless dress – Natty World, Sandals – Amina Muaddi 

 

Oversized wool suit – Natty World, Latex strapless top – Angelika Darkling, Sandals – Saint Laurent, Gold chain – Vourakis Jewels

 

Silk trench coat – Tom Ford, Pumps – Amina Muaddi

 

Blazer – Louis Vuitton

CHLOE BY RAUL ROMO

Model – Chloe Blanchard @lilbabychloe @TheLions
Photographer – Raul Romo @raulromo
Fashion Stylist – Saulú Santana @itzsaulu
Hair Stylist – Rena Calhoun @rena.calhoun
Makeup Artist – Nicole Chew @chewchewtrain@ArtDepartment
Jacket by 2 Moncler 1952
Top + Belt by Zana Bayne
Boots by United Nude
Earrings + Ring by House of Emmanuele
Jacket by 2 Moncler 1952
Top + Belt by Zana Bayne
Boots by United Nude
Earrings + Ring by House of Emmanuele
Dress by Mark Fast
Choker by Zana Bayne
Trench by 3.1 Phillip Lim
Corset by Shahar Avnet
Choker by Zana Bayne
Trench by 3.1 Phillip Lim
Corset by Shahar Avnet
Choker + Belt by Zana Bayne
Tights by FALKE, Ring by On Aura Tout Vu
Shoes by United Nude
Jacket by I Love Pretty
Bralette by 3.1 Phillip Lim
Tights by Wolford
Earrings by A-Jane
Shoes by United Nude
Jacket by Victoria Hayes
Mesh Top by Marc Fast
PVC Vest by I Love Pretty
Tights by Wolford
Shoes by United Nude
Belt by Zana Bayne
Boots by Saint Laurent

FLORA BY KIMBER CAPRIOTTI

Photographer: Kimber Capriotti @kimbercapriotti
Model:  Flora @floralis.a @theidentitymodels
Stylist: Kingsley Osuji @styledbykingsley
Hair: Yukie Nammori @yukienammori
Makeup: Megan Kelly @megankellybeauty
Casting: Chad Thompson @communa_k
Top & Pants: Victoria Hayes
Bracelets: UNOde50
Earrings: Astrid & Miyu
Shirt & Coat: FLOU-FLOU
Blazer: Salisa
Full Look: Tom Ford
Shirt & Vest: Maryam Nassir Zadeh
Jacket & Jeans: Unravel Project
Boots: rag & bone
Hat & Dress: Claudia Li
Bracelet: UNOde50
Jeans: Nueque
Blazer (inner): Victoria Hayes
Blazer (outer): Tibi
Pants: FLOU-FLOU

Earrings: Ben Amun by Isaac Manevitz, Top & Blazer: Dirty Pineapple, Shorts: Tibi, Boots: Vince Camuto

OLIVER BY KARL SIMONE

Shirt by Givenchy, Pants by Lanvin, Shoes by Dolce and Gabbana

Photographer: Karl Simone @karl_simone
Stylist: Charlie Ward @charliewardstyles
Model: Oliver Kludjeson @oliverkludjeson
Agency: The Society Management @thesocietynyc

Vest by MSGM, Jeans by Tanaka, Belt by Gucci

Shirt by Dries Van Noten, Pants by YSL, Loafers by Prada, Hat by Stetson

Blazer by YSL, Tank by Lanvin, Vintage Boxer Shorts

Overcoat by The Salting, Joggers by Burberry, Boots by Givenchy

Shirt by Dries Van Noten, Hat by Stetson

Blazer by YSL, Tank by Lanvin

Shirt by Givenchy

SK Manor Hill

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Photographer: Jason Rodgers @jasonrodgersphoto
Art Direction: Paul Hamann @pablomoses
Styling: Ian McRae @iannxo
Hair and Grooming: Matthew Tuozzoli @tuozzoli
Featuring: Alioune Badara Fall @aliounebf
Amber Chandler @ambermchandler
Dominic Sondag @skminorhill
and Garfield

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

Clothing by SK Manor Hill (Fall/ Winter 2019)

ALIX ANGJELI BY DENNIS STENILD

 

Top by Litkovskaya

Photographer: Dennis Stenild @dennisstenild
Stylist: Julia Morris @juliamorris
Make-up: Moises Ramirez @moisesartnyc for MAC Cosmetics
Manicurist: MoMo @ohmynailsnyc @SeeManagement
Producer: Sheri Chiu @sheri.chiu
Talent: Alix Angjeli @alixangjeli @thelionsny
Stylist Assistant: Bethany Mong @bethanymong
Make-up Assistant: Aya Tariq @ayaa.tariq

In Eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine, each part of the national costumes have a sacred and often magical meaning to it. Shawls in particular have taken a special place in society and are still kept and worn by older generations. These headpieces are made from vintage shawls passed down to me by my grandmother who lived in a small Ukrainian village all her life. The 60-year-old pieces travelled with me all the way to New York City and had been given a second life by being transformed into wearable art objects. Inspired by the fast paced megapolis, these headpieces can change shape easily, symbolizing the flexibility and constantly changing energy of New York. Moreover, they still preserve the magic and spirit of the small Ukrainian village and the memories from my childhood. For me, this is the true task of fashion – with each season, providing a new perspective on something timeless.

Julia Morris (Stylist)

Dress by Videmus Omnia

Top by Hisaura

Dress by Hisaura

Top by Litkovskaya

SUMMER IN SWITZERLAND

Suit by Viktor & Rolf, Shoes by Dolce & Gabbana

Photographer: Fernando Gómez @fernandogomezphoto
Stylist: Roma Lansky @rljewel
Make-up: Rosa Matilla @rosamatilla for DIOR makeup
Hair: Rosa Matilla @rosamatilla for Mön ICON Team
Model: Anastasiia Matviienko @anastasiiamatviienko Women Management Milan

 Jacket and Vest by Ester Abner, Necklace by Chanel

Jacket by Ester Abner

Shirt and Skirt by Ira Kryuchkova, Vest by Saint Laurent, Shoes by Dolce & Gabbana, Earrings by Christian Lacroix

Shirt and Skirt by Ira Kryuchkova, Vest by Saint Laurent

Trench by Loewe, Boots by Guess

Dress by Alexander McQueen, Earrings by RL Jewel

Dress by Berta

Dress by Malina Fashion, Jewelry by RL Jewel

AINA

Earrings: Iris Trends @eyeofiris | Dress: One Trieu Yeu @onetrieuyeu

Photographer/Director: Benjo Arwas @ Seen Artists | Styling: Maison Privee | | Model: Aina Faro @ MP Model Management | Hair and Makeup: Nicole Chew @ Art Department | Cinematography: Josh Hammaren

Earrings: Iris Trends @eyeofiris | Dress: One Trieu Yeu @onetrieuyeu

Jewelry: Iris Trends @eyeofiris

Left side: Jewelry: Iris Trends @eyeofiris | Dress: One Trieu Yeu @onetrieuyeu

Right side: Dress: Masaki Matsuka @masakimatsuka

Dress: One Trieu Yeu @onetrieuyeu | Earrings and Necklace: Iris Trends

Dress: Masaki Matsuka @masakimatsuka

Dress: One Trieu Yeu @onetrieuyeu | Earrings and Necklace: Iris Trends

Dress: Masaki Matsuka @masakimatsuka

 

COLOR THEORY

Head piece by Harlem’s Heaven | Dress by Laurence and Chico

Photographer: Anastasia Garcia | Model: Awar Mou @ RED Agency | Stylist: Tiffani Williams | Hair: Kristi Wilczopolski @ Bryan Bantry Agency | Makeup: Julianna GroganBryan Bantry Agency | Photo Asst: Brandon Harrison | Photo Intern: Nina Dietz

Dress by Alena Akhmadullina

Dress by Alena Akhmadullina

Head piece by Harlem’s Heaven | Dress by John Paul Ataker | Gloves by Wing and Weft

Head piece by Harlem’s Heaven | Dress by John Paul Ataker

Head piece by Harlem’s Heaven | Dress by Maison D Ferrer

Head piece by Harlem’s Heaven | Dress by Maison D Ferrer

Dress by Laurence and Chico | Jewelry by Tuleste

Dress by Alejandro Collections | Gloves by Wing and Weft

Dress by Alejandro Collections | Gloves by Wing and Weft