Supermodel Helena Christensen has gone behind the lens for www.matchesfashion.com teaming up with Jen Carey to take a series of portraits of inspirational women including Julianne Moore, Dree Hemingway, Josephine de la Baume and Mimi Xu, wearing the store's exclusive Rika Iron Girl sweater. We caught up with the super-duper-model to chat about how she stays in shape, why she decided to work on the Iron Girl project, her heavy metal past and, of course, shopping...
Grazia Daily: We've seen some incredible shots of you recently - how do you keep your body so fit?
Helena Christensen: I try to eat healthy and work out regularly. I'd say it works 50% of the time. Both the above makes you feel great, they're just so hard to be disciplined and consistent about.
Grazia Daily: Are you a gym bunny or is it all about diet and lifestyle for you?
Helena Christensen: I'm certainly not a gym bunny. I box in a sweaty old boxing club, and that's a workout that kicks ass, literally. It's hardcore training but if I'm going anyway, I'd rather get instant gratification.
Grazia Daily: Has your experience changed the way you think of yourself in terms of confidence- are there things you used to be insecure about that you are more relaxed about now?
Helena Christensen: There definitely is, and vice versa. It would nice to think that you gain more confidence and become more tolerant as you gain more experience, but that would almost be too easy, right? I think we learn all through our lives and sometimes we're fortunate to be able to use that knowledge wisely. But I still get down about some of the same things I got down about when I was a teenager and my tolerance has maybe grown in some respects, but certainly not in others.
Grazia Daily: One of our colleagues has a lamp you designed (which she loves) and she was wondering if you would be doing any more homeware projects in the future?
Helena Christensen: I really enjoy collaborating on personal design projects with experienced companies. I educate myself that way and also get to have an outlet for any ideas I might have. It's so cool to hear that someone actually bought something designed by me, it makes me very proud.
Grazia Daily: Why did you get involved in the Iron Girl project?
Helena Christensen: I work on a regular basis for* Rika magazine*. It's wonderful to work for a magazine and with a team of people who all are equally as free-spirited and limitless in their visions as you'd dream of as a photographer.
Grazia Daily: What does Iron Girl mean to you?
**Helena Christensen: **Iron girls are women who are unique in showing their strength by being true to themselves and their emotional side. They're original and loving, creative and inspirational. They are cool chicks, true ladies, caring girlfriends, mothers, partners and daughters.
Grazia Daily: Are you a big music fan - do you like iron maiden and rock?
Helena Christensen: I love Iron Maiden. I grew up partly as a heavy metal fan. There's nothing more hardcore and bombastic. Great drums!
Grazia Daily: What is your favourite thing about being in front of the camera? And being behind it?
Helena Christensen: Mostly the same reasons. I really enjoy the creative process of both. Obviously as a model I step in at a later point and outlive the vision of the photographer and his team. And that feels liberating and inspiring. As a photographer, very often it's your own vision that's outlived and that can be both daunting and exciting.
Grazia Daily: MATCHESFASHION.COM is obviously a super chic boutique - do you shop a lot yourself?
Helena Christensen: I shop moderately. Some periods I just don't feel like it at all, other times there's a rush of inspiration coming over me and suddenly I'll run out and shop.
Grazia Daily: Which designers do you like and what do you think of British fashion?
Helena Christensen: British fashion is awesome. I feel designers are playful and experimental in England, they are daring and original.