Helena Christensen – The Supermodel Icon

In this edition of Numéro Switzerland, we delve into the world of icons. The beautiful and captivating Helena Christensen is one of them. Helena is a stalwart of the ‘original’ 1990s supermodels who continues to grace the fashion industry. In an exclusive interview and photoshoot, Helena gives us an insight into her fashion world and what it means to be an icon.

When asked about her thoughts on being labelled a fashion icon, Helena humbly remarked, “I don’t see myself as one.” She fondly recalls it was “pretty cool being part of a special sort of ‘gang’ of girls” in the 1990s, which included Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss. Reflecting on those days, she appreciated the extraordinary experiences of the exciting life of her early twenties. But Helena gives credit where credit is due; she attributes much of her iconic status to the talented photographers, stylists, beauty teams, and the many old-school masters she worked with as the true icons.

Regarding the start of her modelling career, Helena shared, “I was around 20 years old when a very small, cool agency in Paris asked me to come down from Denmark. I wasn’t really into fashion or modelling, to be honest, but I loved food, so I said ok if we could go to some great little places to eat (in Paris), and that was it. I came to Paris to experience the food, and they sent me to meet designers and photographers.” What began as a culinary adventure soon transformed into a groundbreaking career. “I was extremely lucky to be taken under the wing of some exceedingly talented people and started working with them immediately. It was never on my mind to be a model, but when it happened, I thought it might be a great way to explore the world and take photographs, as what I actually wanted to be was a photographer.”

Transitioning to a new city at a young age must have been intimidating. Helena recounted,“It was mostly daunting, as it meant leaving my family and friends, and it felt quite lonely at first, but then I got used to it somehow, and my family thankfully came to stay with me a lot. I was staying in a tiny studio on the Île Saint-Louis, in Paris (a small island on the Seine). Every morning before work, I would go to the local bakery, get a baguette with camembert and a chausson des pommes (an applesauce-filled pastry), and then walk to work or get on the Metro. I loved those mornings so much. Paris is a city that is so enchanting, and I felt as if I was walking through history novels.”

Read the full article in our print issue!