modebranchen.NU no. 2 / June 2015 | Page 44

Artikel/article Q AND A WITH HELENA CHRISTENSEN The world-famous photographer and model, Helena Christensen, is designing a new line in collaboration with InWear: InWear by Helena. Read more about Helena Christensen’s view on design, branding, career, big city life and the fashion industry here. See the new InWear by Helena collection at Panorama, Hall 1, stand no 1.23. Q: You have recently teamed up with Q: There’s no question that your persona the popular Danish brand, InWear, and and name have become somewhat of an in­ designed a new line in collaboration ternational brand. How do you choose what with InWear – InWear by Helena. You are contributing to the design yourself. Is it new for you to work with fashion design? And what excites you about the design A: I have previously made designs for difprocess? ferent companies, for instance when I designed my own lingerie line for Triumph for three years and when I created a "capsule" collection for Anthropologie together with Camilla Stærk, with whom I’m currently working on a personal project. We created our first collection pieces and designed jewellery for Skagen. I find it insightful and interesting to be a part of the design process from beginning to end. I’ve always felt the need to be inspired and work creatively with my mind and my hands. 44 / ISSUE NO 02 JUNE 2015 / MODEBRANCHEN. A: If I feel that I personally can learn from comes next and who to partner up with? the process and if it is indeed a proper partnership and not just a way for a company to "use" my name and face, it becomes far more interesting to me. But my job as a model has for many years meant that my work is been about selling products for different companies. This has given me experience and the desire to involve myself in a whole different way. Q: How does the InWear brand match up A: Up until now, there’s been a very natural with the Helena Christensen name? connection. My own style is not too differ- ent from theirs and the fact that I can add something personal to their brand while learning about the process is a benefit to everyone. One of my very first modelling jobs was actually for InWear. Now I work for them again, but in a completely different way. There’s something really great about that. It's like the full circle. Q: You started your career as a model, and later on you got on the other side of the camera and became a professional photographer. In which direction do you A: Actually, it was the other way around. I see your career heading in the future? started taking photos and felt that it was something I wanted to spend time on and work with. When I got the chance to travel around the world as a model, I grabbed it at once and got lucky enough to see the world, both as a model and a photographer.