In his series About Face, photographer Christian Brylle captures models in their most natural states of being, revealing professional chameleons as their idiosyncratic selves. “These pictures are acts of pure portraiture—capturing the individual’s personality using light and shadow, movement and gesticulation,” Brylle says. “No interference. No distractions.” He sees the photographer’s task as capturing “the moments when the subject’s spirit reveals itself,” transcending the physical and withstanding time.

Freja Beha Erichsen, with all of her quiet bravado and cool androgyny, has become a young veteran in the industry’s mainstay of faces. The 32-year-old Danish model and self-described tomboy was first scouted on the streets of Denmark. Her 2005 debut—opening the Miu Miu Fall/Winter 2006 show—sparked a tinderbox of a excitement in the casting world, and Erichsen has since blazed across the runway for every major fashion house—including Gucci, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Chanel—while landing the industry’s most major campaigns. And though she began her career nearly 15 years ago, she still sets the fashion world alight today, appearing as the face of Prada’s Fall/Winter 2020 campaign.

Who am I: Freja

Person I would like to switch places with: Yuri Gagarin, but only whilst he orbited earth.

Person I admire the most: (Hero in life) Women who are strong and determined whilst remaining vulnerable and open.

Events I wish i’d witnessed: The entire year of 1969.

My idea of happiness: (Area of interest) A quiet morning perched in my reading chair in the library with a cup of tea after having walked the dog, a few hours of reading, lunch with a friend, an afternoon spent at a museum, a well-curated exhibition, drinks and dinner with people I love, travel and exploration.

My biggest fear: Stagnation.

Games I play: Shuffleboard, darts, pool, cornhole, axe and knife-throwing, heads up, air hockey, wordfeud, backgammon, ping-pong, edging, cards against humanity, 500…

My greatest adventure: This entire magnificent ride is quite the adventure.

Something I’d like to change: Gender inequality.

Things I’ll be remembered by: Pictures.

One thing I’d like to forget: I’d like to forget to forget.

Something I’d like to accomplish: To always remain open.

Things that inspire me: Virginia Woolf’s writings, Claire-Louise Bennett’s ‘Pond’, visually pleasing rooms, Anselm Kiefer’s fields and flower paintings, New York, you.

Questions I can’t answer: There are oh so many and multiple answers to this question.

One last favor I’d like to ask: For everyone to be generous, give away smiles, hugs and kisses every day to those you know and those you don’t. 

Who I’d like to be: Myself in a year, developing step by step