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Helena Christensen
Christensen in 2007
Born	(1968-12-25) December 25, 1968 (age 56) Copenhagen, Denmark
Modeling information
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Hair color	Brunette
Eye color	Blue/Green
Agency	Marilyn Model Agency
Website	http://www.helena-christensen.com

Helena Christensen (born December 25, 1968) is a Danish fashion model, (former) Victoria's Secret Angel, beauty queen, and photographer. She has also served as creative director for Nylon magazine, designed clothing, and supported funding for breast cancer organizations and other charities.

Early life

Christensen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her father is Danish, and her mother is Peruvian.

Miss Denmark

Christensen won the Miss Denmark crown in 1986 and represented Denmark in Miss Universe 1986. She left her home soon afterwards to pursue modeling in Paris.

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." 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, 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." 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.

Business

Christensen was creative director of Nylon magazine at its 1999 founding by publisher Marvin Scott Jarrett. 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. Christensen has sold some of her vintage clothes line in her mother's store, the Yo-Yo Second Hand Shop, in Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Denmark. 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.

Christensen is a photographer whose work has appeared in Nylon, Marie Claire, and ELLE. Her exhibition "A Quiet Story", curated by Jim Cook, premiered in at the Locus Gallery in Rotterdam, 2006, and HotelArena in Amsterdam, 2007. 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.

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.

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. She was in a long-term relationship with actor Norman Reedus with whom she has one child, a son named Mingus Lucien Reedus (born October 13, 1999). Reedus and Christensen split in 2003. 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."

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.

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. She reported in 2007 that she would be giving up her place in Monaco.

Christensen has claimed on several occasions to be a cheese addict, 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." 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."

References

1. ^ Helena Christensen at Fashion Model Directory
2. "Portraits of Peru: Why supermodel Helena Christensen returned to her roots". independent.co.uk. 19 November 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
3. Nome, Valerie. (May 7th, 2008). "Helena Christensen: Model Mom". OK Magazine.
4. Mueller, Andrew (August 31, 2003). "Reversing the lens: Helena Christensen". Sunday Tribune. Ireland. Retrieved 2010-09-12. {{cite news}}: More than one of |work= and |newspaper= specified (help)
5. Mottram, James (June 10, 2006). "Helena Christensen: Role Model". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2010-09-12. {{cite news}}: More than one of |work= and |newspaper= specified (help)
6. Miss Universe, 1986 Pageantopolis.com. Retrieved 2010-09-12. Lists contestants, w/photo of Christensen & contestants.
7. "The Helena Christensen Picture Pages". Superiorpics.com.
8. Wechsler, Pat; Feld, David (December 20–27, 1993). Times Square bananas over billboard. New York Magazine. p. 19. Retrieved 2010-08-21. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
9. ^ "Helena Christensen Profile". Fashion Model Directory database. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
10. Powers, Bill (October 11, 1998). "PULSE; A Model Will Call The Shots". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-22. Mr. Jarrett offered the top editorial position to Ms. Christensen
11. ^ Colford, Paul D. (March 3, 1999). "Nylon Not a Stretch for the Man Behind Ray Gun". latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-08-21. partners in the new venture include supermodel Helena Christensen, who acts as creative director.
12. Wells, Melanie (November 1, 1999). "Entrepreneur as Stunt Man". Forbes.com Magazine. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2000-09-01. Retrieved 2010-08-21. Upstart style magazine Nylon has gotten ink for making supermodel Helena Christensen its creative director.
13. Note: Nylon' s masthead credits her as follows: "founders mark blackwell, helena christensen, marvin scott jarrett, jaclynn b. jarrett".
14. Vine, Sarah (March 24, 2007). "Model's own - Helena Christensen is the latest model to turn fashion designer". London: The Times.
15. "Butik.com website, circa 2008". Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
16. Bahnsen, Lea Kathrine. "Helena Christensen er vintage-dronning ("a vintage Queen")" (in Danish). Oestrogen.dk. Retrieved 2010-08-21.(English tr.)
17. "Yo-Yo Second Hand Shop".
18. Leary, Denis (2008). Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid (Look Inside). Viking Adult. p. Back cover. ISBN 978-0670031603. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
19. "Helena Christensen, A Quiet Story". Locus Gallery. Archived from the original on 2007-05-15.
20. "Helena Christensen - Selections from A Quiet Story". FashionCapital.co.uk. HotelArena. Retrieved 2010-08-22. Press release.
21. Nelson, Karin (December 14, 2008). "The Imperfectionist". Style. New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-23. Slideshow
22. "Helena Christensen, Far From, Close, photography exhibition - December 15th 2008 – January 18, 2009" (includes Flash gallery). Dactyl Foundation. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
23. O'Brian, Jason (June 8, 2007). "Erin-go-bra - Fashion targets breast cancer". Independent. IE. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
24. "Tommy Hilfiger Teams Up With Helena Christensen For Limited Edition Bags". The Daily. PapierDoll.net. AHN. March 6, 2009. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
25. INXS; Bozza, Anthony (2006). Inxs: Story to Story: The Official Autobiography. Atria. p. 225. ISBN 9780743284042. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
26. "Helena Christensen profile". Hello! magazine. 2006.
27. "Helena Christensen profile". Marie Claire. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
28. "Helena Christensen's son Mingus is a chess prodigy". People.com. September 2, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
29. Mendoza, Elizabeth Lamont (March 2009). "Celebrity-Parent Profile Helena Christensen". Cookie Magazine
30. Stansfield, Robert (January 24, 2008). "Helena Christensen Was On Way To See Heath Ledger". The Daily Record.
31. Gerard, Jasper (November 27, 2005). "Me and My Motors: Helena Christensen". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
32. Philby, Charlotte (November 21, 2009) "My Secret Life: Helena Christensen, Supermodel, 40". The Independent. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
33. ^ Crichton, Torcuil (July 21, 2007). "Helena Christensen Interview". Herald-Scotland. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
34. "Celebrity Cheese Lovers". British Cheese Board. 2005-09-23. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29.
35. "Helena Christensen's Fact File". Patrick Kielty Almost Live. BBC. 2003.
36. "Pandora" (September 7, 1999). "Pandora (column)". The Independent (source:(British) GQ Magazine). p. Para. 10. Archived from the original on 2007-03-11.

External links

• Helena Christensen at IMDb
• Helena Christensen at Fashion Model Directory
• Helena Christensen Profile HELLO! Magazine
• Awareness Raising: "What's Your Excuse?" Food Bank For New York City Past Campaigns public service announcement
• Christensen's acceptance speech at the 2008 Can-Do Awards Dinner. Food Bank For New York City.

Template:Persondata

• 1968 births
• Danish female models
• Fashion photographers
• Danish photographers
• Living people
• Miss Universe 1986 contestants
• People from Copenhagen
• People of Peruvian descent