Christensen, Helena Christensen

Christensen, Helena

Helena Christensen was born on 25 December 1968 from a Peruvian mother and a Danish father. This mix of ethnic groups, so different on a somatic level, explains her peculiar aesthetic traits. She was one of the most popular supermodels during the 90s in particular.

Index:

  1. The beginnings
  2. Acting career
  3. Modeling career
  4. Consecration to supermodel
  5. Behind camera
  6. Entrepreneurship and collaborations 
  7. Philanthropy

The beginnings

She started her work at the mere age of 9. Although her career began after she won the title of Miss Universe Denmark in 1986 at the age of 17. The following year, she participated in the Look of the Year 1987 competition, where she was a finalist.

Thereafter, Christensen left home to pursue modeling in Paris.

the90ssupermodels on Instagram: “Winning the Miss Universe Denmark crown in  1986 at the age of 17, Helena Christensen subsequently … | Vs models, 90s  models, Model Helena on Miss Universe Denmark 1986

Her special occasion came in June of 1989 when she was discovered by photographer Friedemann Hauss, who instinctively knew that Helena was a ‘natural’ in terms of modeling ability.

Acting career

Helena has been part of the movie industry, starring in the British TV movie Inferno (1980) and following it up with a cameo role in Robert Altman‘s Ready to Wear (1994).

However, Christensen rose to prominence in the 1990s, becoming one of the most popular models of her time. In 1990, she starred in the music video for Chris Isaak‘s “Wicked Game” song. The video was a hit and received several accolades.

Pin su taste of fame Shots from “Wicked Game” Video

But she became famous in 90’s with her modeling career, becoming one of the most popular models of her time.

Modeling career

She became the ambassador for Revlon cosmetics in 1992. She appeared on many magazine covers including Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and in fashion campaigns including Revlon, Chanel, Versace, Lanvin, Prada, Sonia Rykiel, Hermès, Valentino, and Karl Lagerfeld.

Significantly, she was in Victoria’s Secret catalogue and in their television commercials. She was one of the original “Angels”.

Victoria's Secret Spring Summer 2020 by Helena Christensen Victoria’s Secret Spring/Summer 2020

Consecration to supermodel

In 1996, Frank DeCaro of the New York Times mentioned Christensen, along with Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson, and Claudia Schiffer, as “The Magnificent Seven”, the seven major supermodels who have consecrated this role in the 90s.

In 2008, she was chosen by the Triumph as a testimonial for the brand.

Christensen’s career has continued even in spite of advancing age and has also appeared on the covers of Vogue Italia and Vogue Portugal in 2016, on the British Tatler and Elle France in 2018.

In September 2017, Christensen with Schiffer, Campbell, Crawford, and Carla Bruni, closed the Versace spring/summer 2018 fashion show, which was an homage to the late Gianni Versace and supermodel history.

Models on the Versace Runway Spring 2018 | POPSUGAR Fashion Versace Spring 2018

Her most recent works were teaming up with her look-alike son Mingus. who also works as a model, for a Victoria’s Secret Mother’s Day shoot in 2021.Helena Christensen posa con il figlio Mingus per per Victoria's Secret - iO Donna

She also featured in the lingerie campaign for Coco de Mer last summer and for the second time in 2022.

“This is my second campaign working with this inspiring team consisting entirely of cool women. We had a blast capturing these images from a female gaze perspective.”

Behind camera

Aside from her modeling work, Christensen is an accomplished photographer herself, whose work has appeared in Nylon, Marie Claire, and ELLE.

Her exhibition “A Quiet Story,” curated by Jim Cook, was presented at the Locus Gallery in Rotterdam, in 2006, and HotelArena in Amsterdam, in 2007. Her exhibition “Far From, Close” appeared at Dactyl Foundation in 2008–09, to benefit the International Center of Photography educational programs and Chernobyl Children’s Project International.

“I felt like I was in the best photography school in the world – I had Herb Ritts, Bruce Weber, Richard Avedon, and Irving Penn teach me.”

In 2014, Christensen worked on a photography series with Liberty Ross and Liv Tyler: The Pursuit of Grace.

“I like doing personal, very intimate projects that don’t require a lot of pre-meetings”.

In 2016, she was named “Global Explorer” for the Luxury Collection Hotels and Resorts.

Currently she is focusing on photography and on her Stærk & Christensen fashion and lifestyle brand.

Entrepreneurship and collaborations 

“In modelling, there is no point in trying to prove you have a brain, so why even bother? I’d sooner save the energy for something more meaningful.”

Christensen was the co-founder and creative director of Nylon magazine in 1999 with Marvin Scott Jarrett, Ray Gun magazine’s publisher, and Mic Neumann, Kung Faux’s creator.

She launched her clothing line, Christensen & Sigersen, with lifelong friend Leif Sigersen. The couple previously managed Butik, a shop in New York’s West Village.

Christensen created a vintage clothing line, sold in her mother’s store, the Yo-Yo Second Hand Shop, in Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Denmark.

In 2012, she created a lingerie collection, Helena Christensen for Triumph, for the UK-based lingerie brand.

Philanthropy 

Christensen partnered with Oxfam in 2009 to document the impact of climate change in Perù.

Helena Christensen Debuts Peruvian Photo Exhibition as New Brand Ambassador  for The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts | Business Wire

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