Claudia Schiffer’s denim collection inspired Frame’s new must

By Laura Hawkins

In Claudia Schiffer's Inside The Wardrobe video for British Vogue, the German supermodel – sporting a pair of Frame's slim-leg Sylvie jeans – divulges that a third of her wardrobe is dedicated to denim. And not just jeans in a variety of washes, but shirts, handbags and even wedged heels, too.

It's unsurprising, considering that almost as many of Schiffer's iconic supermodel moments are linked with a humble pair of jeans as they are haute couture. In the late ’80s she became a household name, sporting skintight denim, a lace corset and blonde bouffant in the Guess Jeans campaigns. "Shot by Ellen Von Unwerth, the campaign was a breakthrough moment in my career," Schiffer explains. "We met in Paris when I was 17 and we were both starting out in the business. We got on like a house on fire, hanging out near the Centre Pompidou with me posing for shots in my own clothes – my tees and faded Levi's included."

Chanel autumn/winter 1994

Schiffer starts in a Guess campaign in 2012

The mid-’90s was also dominated by iconic Chanel denim moments – cue Schiffer beaming on the autumn/winter 1993 catwalk in an embroidered Canadian tuxedo and CC logo cowboy boots. "The campaign was shot by Karl [Lagerfeld] in Munich, and we were both so happy to be back in our home country," she says. "We indulged in our favourite German delicacies such as hefeklöse (yeast dumplings), German sausages and sauerkraut, and tried to get the rest of the crew to partake – they were unconvinced!"

Frame X Claudia Schiffer

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The denim moments of Schiffer's teens are attributed to "stone-wash high-waisted jeans from Chipie, teamed with oversized sweatshirts from Fiorucci, blue eyeshadow and lots of hairspray", but her more recent off-duty memories are linked to Frame. "Denim has always played a big part in my life and my go-to uniform is jeans and a sweater or cotton blouse. I have been sporting Frame's styles since its launch in 2012. The fit and the detailing is so good."

The LA brand teamed up with Schiffer back in 2020 on a collection in aid of UNICEF, that also celebrated her milestone 50th birthday. "She's been on countless moodboards over the years and is the ultimate Frame muse," says Erik Torstensson, the brand's co-founder and chief creative officer.

Frame X Claudia Schiffer

Now the label has collaborated again with the supermodel, this time on a collection of wide-legged button-up denim and knitwear, the starting point of which was a Frame autumn/winter 2021 Fair Isle jumper that Schiffer could not stop wearing. "It was so gorgeous and soft, and reminiscent of the traditional knits I would wear growing up in Germany. It piqued my curiosity around how it was designed and produced," Schiffer explains.

"We worked together on what her designs would look like and really considered the extra details Claudia wanted to be included," says Torstensson of the collection, which includes a ’70s-inflected wide-legged faded "Le Hardy" jean with exposed buttons, an apres ski-ready cherry-red sweater, and a Breton striped jumper inspired by the French style of Jane Birkin and Sylvie Vartan. "From conception, it was about creating a capsule which is rooted in Claudia's European aesthetic, and timeless investment pieces."

"I wanted to ensure that I would love and wear this collection in years to come – that's the essential criteria," the supermodel adds. "I’ve kept so many precious pieces [over the years], such as vintage denim, cropped sweaters and twinsets… they feel like old friends," enthuses Schiffer. Looks like she she’ll have to make some extra space in that walk-in closet…

This article was originally posted on Vogue.co.uk