Helena Christensen

Helena Christensen

Christensen in 2007
Born December 25, 1968 (1968-12-25) (age 42)
Copenhagen, Denmark
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Hair color Brunette
Eye color Blue/Green
Measurements (US) 35-24-35 ; (EU) 89-61-88[1]
Dress size (US) 4 ; (EU) 34[1]
Website
http://www.helena-christensen.com

Helena Christensen (born December 25, 1968 in Copenhagen) is a Danish fashion model, former Victoria's Secret Angel, beauty queen, and photographer.

Contents

Early life

Christensen grew up in Denmark. Her father is Danish, and her mother is Peruvian.[2]

Miss Denmark

Christensen won the Miss Denmark crown in 1987 at the age of 18, and represented Denmark in the Miss Universe pageant in 1988 at the age of 19. She left her home soon afterwards to pursue modeling in Paris.[3]

Modeling career

Christensen appeared on many magazine covers and in fashion campaigns during the 1990s. One noted campaign featured her in a 20 by 40-foot billboard in Times Square, bare, "except for a strategically placed banana leaf."[4] She was in the Victoria's Secret catalog and in their television commercials as one of the signature Angels, along with Tyra Banks, Karen Mulder, Daniela Pestova, Rebecca Romijn, and Stephanie Seymour. She also became a spokesmodel for Revlon cosmetics.

In 1991, she starred in the music video for Chris Isaak's song "Wicked Game."[5] The video was later featured on MTV's "Sexiest Video of All-Time", voted #4 on VH1's "50 Sexiest Video Moments" and voted #13 on VH1's "100 Greatest Videos".

Christensen is signed to Independent Models in London and 1/One Management in New York City, 2pm Model Management in Copenhagen.[5]

Business

Christensen was creative director of Nylon magazine at its 1999 founding by publisher Marvin Scott Jarrett.[6][7][8][9] She launched her own clothing line Christensen & Sigersen, with life-long friend Leif Sigersen. The pair previously ran Butik, a shop in New York's West Village.[10][11] Christensen has sold some of her vintage clothes line in her mother's store, the Yo-Yo Second Hand Shop, in Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Denmark.[12][13] Christensen famously once said, when asked if normal girls would feel comfortable in her new clothing line, "I don't care. I have no clue. I don't think about anyone but me." The quote is printed on the back of Denis Leary's 2008 book, Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid.[14]

Christensen is a photographer whose work has appeared in Nylon,[7] Marie Claire and ELLE.[5] Her exhibition "A Quiet Story", curated by Jim Cook, premiered in at the Locus Gallery in Rotterdam, 2006,[15] and HotelArena in Amsterdam, 2007.[16] Her exhibition "Far From, Close" appeared at Dactyl Foundation in 2008/09, to benefit International Center of Photography educational programs and Chernobyl Children's Project International.[17][18]

Breast cancer fundraising

Christensen launched the second Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign which involves the sale of exclusive designer t-shirts to raise millions for Ireland's Action Breast Cancer (Irish Cancer Society) and Europa Donna Ireland to help younger women with breast cancer.[19][20]

Personal life

Christensen lived with INXS frontman Michael Hutchence on and off in France and Denmark for a period of five years in the early 1990s.[21] She has one child, a son named Mingus Lucien Reedus (born October 13, 1999)[22] with actor Norman Reedus. While maintaining careers in photography and clothing design, Christensen remains a hands-on mother to Mingus. "He's all that matters," she says. "He's my best friend."[23] Reedus and Christensen split in 2003. Christensen friends include R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe,[24] and U2 frontman Bono.[25] Christensen was a good friend of actor Heath Ledger. She was heading to his New York apartment on the day that he died, calling Ledger, only to get his voicemail message.[26]

Christensen has an apartment in Copenhagen and lives in Manhattan, where she drives "the only type of car I've ever had," a Morris Minor.[27][28] She reported in 2007 that she would be giving up her place in Monaco.[29]

Christensen has claimed on several occasions to be a cheese addict,[29] admitting that: "There've been times when I've bought a whole pound of cheese and walked down the street and eaten it in one go. I think it's incredibly sensual."[30] Christensen declares that: "Whenever my head is like a maze, I turn to the easy things in life, the things that mean the most to me: Sex and cheese. These things are connected. Truth be told, I love all cheese: French cheese, Italian cheese, even British cheese, but Danish cheese is the greatest. I get my best nightmares after I eat Danish cheese. Actually I've seriously thought about getting a cheese tattoo. A nice Edam on my shoulder, maybe."[31][32]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Helena Christensen at Fashion Model Directory
  2. ↑ Nome, Valerie. (May 7th, 2008). "Helena Christinsen: Model Mom". OK Magazine.
  3. ↑ The Helena Christensen Picture Pages. Superiorpics.com.
  4. ↑ Wechsler, Pat; Feld, David (December 20-27, 1993). "Times Square bananas over billboard". Intelligencer. New York Magazine. p. 19. http://books.google.com/books?id=dDMAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA19&dq=photographs+%22Helena+Christensen%22&hl=en&ei=wxlwTPPTA5O8sAPKzYmgCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=photographs%20%22Helena%20Christensen%22&f=false. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Helena Christensen Profile. Fashion Model Directory database. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  6. ↑ Powers, Bill (October 11, 1998). "PULSE; A Model Will Call The Shots". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/11/style/pulse-a-model-will-call-the-shots.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. "Mr. Jarrett offered the top editorial position to Ms. Christensen" 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Colford, Paul D. (March 03, 1999). "Nylon Not a Stretch for the Man Behind Ray Gun". latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1999/mar/03/news/cl-13368. Retrieved 2010-08-21. "[Jarrett's] partners in the new venture include supermodel Helena Christensen, who acts as creative director." 
  8. ↑ Wells, Melanie (November 1, 1999). "Entrepreneur as Stunt Man". Forbes.com Magazine. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2000-09-01. http://web.archive.org/web/20000901044311/forbes.com/forbes/99/1101/6411228a.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-21. "Upstart style magazine Nylon has gotten ink for making supermodel Helena Christensen its creative director." 
  9. ↑ Note: Nylon' s masthead credits her as follows: "founders mark blackwell, helena christensen, marvin scott jarrett, jaclynn b. jarrett".
  10. ↑ Vine, Sarah (March 24, 2007). "Model's own - Helena Christensen is the latest model to turn fashion designer". London: The Times. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/fashion/article1543161.ece. 
  11. ↑ "Butik.com website, circa 2008". Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20080516021530/http://butiknyc.com/. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
  12. ↑ Bahnsen, Lea Kathrine. "Helena Christensen er vintage-dronning ("a vintage Queen")" (in Danish). Oestrogen.dk. http://www.oestrogen.dk/Mode/Shopping/25423.aspx. Retrieved 2010-08-21. (English tr.)
  13. ↑ "Yo-Yo Second Hand Shop". http://www.aok.dk/shopping/yo-yo-second-hand-shop. 
  14. ↑ Leary, Denis (2008). "Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid" (Look Inside). Amazon.com. Viking Adult. p. Back cover. http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Suck-Staying-Stupid/dp/0670031607. 
  15. ↑ "Helena Christensen, A Quiet Story". Locus Gallery. Archived from the original on 2007-05-15. http://web.archive.org/web/20070515102530rn_3/www.locus010.nl/tonen/default.asp?pagina_code=210481ED101B3D51E8A91B83C1BCA31D70D1BCA3214AF. 
  16. ↑ "Helena Christensen - Selections from A Quiet Story". FashionCapital.co.uk. HotelArena. http://www.fashioncapital.co.uk/Issues/InternationalTradingRegime/Helena_Christensen_Selections_From_A_Quiet_Story.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22.  Press release.
  17. ↑ Nelson, Karin (December 14, 2008). "The Imperfectionist". Style. New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02E1DA153EF937A25751C1A96E9C8B63&scp=1&sq=%22The%20Imperfectionist%22%20helena%20christensen&st=cse. Retrieved 2010-08-23.  Slideshow
  18. ↑ "Helena Christensen, Far From, Close, photography exhibition - December 15th 2008 – January 18, 2009" (includes Flash gallery). Dactyl Foundation. http://dactylfoundation.org/?p=1546. Retrieved 2010-08-23. 
  19. ↑ O'Brian, Jason (June 8, 2007). "Erin-go-bra - Fashion targets breast cancer". Independent.IE. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/erin-go-bra----fashion-targets-breast-cancer-693286.html. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
  20. ↑ "Tommy Hilfiger Teams Up With Helena Christensen For Limited Edition Bags". The Daily. PapierDoll.net. March 6th, 2009. http://www.papierdoll.net/themag/2009/03/06/tommy-hilfiger-teams-up-with-helena-christensen-for-limited-edition-bags/. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
  21. ↑ INXS; Bozza, Anthony (2006). Inxs: Story to Story: The Official Autobiography. Atria. p. 225. ISBN 9780743284042. http://books.google.com/books?id=MxTMEwwCIK8C&lpg=PT243&dq=Helena%20Christensen&pg=PT225#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
  22. ↑ Helena Christensen profile. Hello! magazine. 2006.
  23. ↑ Mendoza, Elizabeth Lamont (March 2009). "Celebrity-Parent Profile Helena Christensen". Cookie Magazine
  24. ↑ Michael Stipe, Helena Christensen in Prada In Style, April 8, 2008
  25. ↑ Helena Christensen and Bono - Party Photos - Parties In Style March 1, 2007
  26. ↑ Stansfield, Robert (January 24, 2008). "Helena Christensen Was On Way To See Heath Ledger". The Daily Record.
  27. ↑ Gerard, Jasper (November 27, 2005). Me and My Motors: Helena Christensen. The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
  28. ↑ Philby, Charlotte (November 21, 2009) My Secret Life: Helena Christensen, Supermodel, 40. The Independant. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Crichton, Torcuil (July 21, 2007). "Helena Christensen Interview". Herald-Scotland. http://www.heraldscotland.com/helena-christensen-interview-1.835415. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
  30. ↑ "Celebrity Cheese Lovers". British Cheese Board. 2005-09-23. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20070929091145/http://www.cheeseboard.co.uk/archive.cfm?page_id=257&CFID=946462&CFTOKEN=67264316. 
  31. ↑ "Helena Christensen's Fact File". Patrick Kielty Almost Live. BBC. 2003. http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/patrickkielty/guests/helenachristensen.shtml. 
  32. ↑ "Pandora" (September 7, 1999). "Pandora (column)". The Independant (source:(British) GQ Magazine). p. Para. 10. Archived from the original on 2007-03-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20070311055656rn_1/www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19990907/ai_n14240430. 

External links

Victoria's Secret Angels
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Former Angels
Tyra Banks · Gisele Bündchen · Laetitia Casta · Helena Christensen · Selita Ebanks · Izabel Goulart · Heidi Klum · Karolína Kurková · Marisa Miller · Karen Mulder · Daniela Peštová · Inés Rivero · Stephanie Seymour
Related articles
Edward Razek · Limited Brands · List of Victoria's Secret models · Victoria's Secret · Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show models (1995–1999)
1995

Natane Adcock · Leilani Bishop · Catherine McCord · Beverly Peele · Stephanie Seymour · Ingrid Seynhaeve · Frederique van der Wal · Veronica Webb
1996

Tyra Banks · Naomi Campbell · Helena Christensen · Stephanie Seymour · Frederique van der Wal
1997

Tyra Banks · Elsa Benítez · Naomi Campbell · Esther Cañadas · Laetitia Casta · Helena Christensen · Yasmeen Ghauri · Tricia Helfer · Heidi Klum · Vendela Kirsebom · Chandra North · Georgianna Robertson · Rebecca Romijn · Claudia Schiffer · Ingrid Seynhaeve · Stephanie Seymour · Frederique van der Wal
1998

Natane Adcock · Tyra Banks · Naomi Campbell · Laetitia Casta · Bridget Hall · Tricia Helfer · Jaime King · Heidi Klum · Valeria Mazza · Annie Morton · Astrid Muñoz · Chandra North · Rebecca Romijn · Chrystéle Saint Louis Augustin · Stephanie Seymour · Eugenia Silva
1999

Natane Adcock · Tyra Banks · Elsa Benítez · Leilani Bishop · Gisele Bündchen · Laetitia Casta · Ana Cláudia Michels · Trish Goff · Eva Herzigová · Kirsty Hume · Kiara Kabukuru · Carmen Kass · Jaime King · Heidi Klum · Hollyanne Leonard · Adriana Lima · Karen Mulder · Daniela Peštová · Frankie Rayder · Inés Rivero · Rebecca Romijn · Stephanie Seymour
1995–1999 · 2000–2009 · 2010–2019
* Did not appear in show according to some sources