Helena Christensen – The Super Model 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.”

Professionally, Helena’s early career was profoundly shaped by Karl Lagerfeld. “I was lucky to spend a lot of time with Karl Lagerfeld, which meant going regularly to Normandy and Monaco shooting for CHANEL campaigns. I loved hanging out with him, absorbing all the stories and knowledge,” she reminisced. She also credits her success to her editorial work for VOGUE and doing The Wicked Game music video by Chris Isaak, which catapulted her into the world of commercial modelling.

Always partial to vintage fashion, Helena was practising sustainable fashion before it came into vogue with the eco-mindset. “I’ve always loved vintage fashion and still do. Sometimes, I go through long periods of not getting anything new, and then suddenly, I feel inspired by colours or shapes. I love cultural fashion and always go to vintage stores in other countries. Since my teens, I have bought secondhand and vintage clothing (and all other objects). I’ve always been aware of sustainability, perhaps because I grew up in a country that is one of the front runners in sustainability. It is extremely important that we all do our little or big part in respecting the earth and limiting the damage we cause as humans with all the waste we accumulate.”

Continuing on that note of sustainability and political awareness of our world. Fashion, besides being aesthetically beautiful, can communicate social/political messages and shake up the masses. Does she agree? “Of course!” she exclaims. “Every day, we dress in a subconscious or very conscious way, and what we wear is a personal extension of who we are on the inside and how we feel. Colours also can communicate emotions, and a lot of profound messages are shown directly written on clothes.” It is not just subtle styling that conveys a message, as this has become more evident nowadays, with people writing slogans on their T-shirts and on the back of their coats.

Helena has a clothing line with her Danish friend, Camilla Staerk, called Staerk and Christensen. I wanted to know how much of her personality was integrated into the design of the clothes, how the experience of being a designer compares to being a model, and what was important in designing the fashion line. “Camilla and I designed swimsuits, shirts, sunglasses, sandals, boots and heels, interior objects, etc. We have always loved being creative, and our little company is an extension of our creative friendship. We are working on a prefab house project, and I’m very excited about it.” The impressive prefab house collection offers prefab wooden deluxe houses by Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel and Philip Johnson; it is a homage to Helena’s and Camilla’s Danish Heritage.

Throughout her career, Helena absorbed so much inspiration and skill from collaborations with fashion industry legends. She acknowledges, “Working with Herb Ritts, Peter Lindbergh, and Karl Lagerfeld from the beginning of my career has been the most fruitful collaboration on both a business and personal level. I am deeply grateful to these legends.”

Being true to her beliefs on the subject of the model’s image, I broached the question, should a model always be recognisable with their original image or be transformable to the brand’s image? “Either way, a model should stay true to themselves and be a chameleon. Each job asks for something specific, and the ability to understand and deliver this makes the task interesting and a great model.”

Fashion such as haute couture can be elitist, and even pre-a-porter can be expensive to buy, depending on the quality of the fabrics and the designer in question. On this note, and the accessibility of fashion to the masses. Does she think it necessary to make fashion more accessible to a broader audience while not devaluing its qualitative value? “I don’t think fashion needs to cost more for no reason. High-quality materials and craftsmanship will always cost more, and that’s ok,but the prices should reflect this and not be ridiculously high for any other reason. Cheaply produced items are something I steer clear of as I don’t want to be part of supporting mass production and unacceptable work conditions,” she responded, aligning with her commitment to ethical fashion.

A career spanning decades is a testament to her ‘iconic’ status. In today’s digital age, what could she envisage of herself if she started now with her career? “Honestly, I probably would not want to start work in the business today.

Or rather, I wouldn’t last long; the whole social media side of modelling doesn’t appeal to me. I’m not into a business that judges you for viewing numbers, not originality. Social media (Instagram, Facebook, Websites….), I’m grateful I did half of my career without it. I disagree that it should be necessary, but the business has turned it into a necessity. I prefer it when the models don’t give much of a sh*t about doing it the way they’re expected to by the business or agencies but instead keep it real and personal – that’s the model I would book if I were the client or magazine.” 

Helena’s current abode is New York City, where, for the last 20 years, she has experienced great times and challenging times. She resonates with the city’s unique electric energy and good vibe. Helena loves travelling the world and she also spends summers in Denmark. An accomplished photographer, whose work has appeared in several magazines, she is always curious about new places. I asked her about Peru, her mother’s country, and if she had any connection to it. “Very much so. I will bring my mother back later this year. I can’t wait. Her heritage is a big part of my identity, like my Danish side.”

Altruistic roles are also important to Helena, and she is a global ambassador for UNHCR. This humanitarian work came about after she volunteered with Oxfam for many years and then with UNHCR for four years. “I feel the most grateful and humbled by this part of my work. I travel to refugee camps worldwide to listen to the stories of refugees, photograph them, and share them. It’s a huge responsibility that I take very seriously.”

Looking ahead, what else does she want to achieve, change, and cultivate in her future? Helena looks forward to her next mission with the UNHCR. She also mentions that the prefab house collection project is important to her and other creative pursuits. More cool photography projects, and she has a visual book about the creative friendship between her and Camilla, her creative counterpart, to be released (I can’t wait). “I just want to keep doing interesting, profound, and/or fun projects. I want to stay curious and inspired.” This attitude wholeheartedly embodies her enduring status as a fashion industry icon.