tHe Cut
Model futures Helena Christensen teams up
with UNSIGNED and Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™ to launch an exciting new project WORDS Sarah Deeks PORTRAIT John Akehurst Supermodel, beauty queen, photographer, Victoria’s Secret ‘angel’ and clothing designer, Helena Christensen has an impressive résumé. In her latest venture, UNSIGNED, Christensen returns to the modeling industry – this time as mentor. In a collaboration between international online fashion resource F.TAPE and Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™, the UNSIGNED competition aspires to scout out young, undiscovered models and give their careers a firm foothold in the industry. Christensen gives Salt the lowdown on the contest. Q: What are the aims of the UNSIGNED project? A: We hope to discover some incredible new faces. And we want to make sure that we really nurture these young models so they are ready to enter the industry. Q: What are the models ultimately competing for? A: The two winners – one male and one female – will become the new faces of the spring/summer 2012 Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED™ campaign. It’s an incredible opportunity and a great platform for them. I’m particularly excited as I’m the campaign photographer! Q: You’ve made a smooth transition from top model to top photographer – how did you do it? A: I was a photographer before I was a model, so it was really the other way round. I never felt I had to separate the two, or make any kind of transition. Photography is a personal and ongoing project for me, and modeling is something I’m still inspired by, and am lucky enough to be able to keep doing. Q: You’ve worked with some incredible designers. Who has been your favourite? A: Karl Lagerfeld is someone who always amazes me whenever we work together. I admire him for so many reasons, not least his drive, intellect and huge talent. Marc Jacobs is someone else that I always feel comfortable around, someone I’m inspired by, and furthermore, he is someone I feel totally at ease with. His sense of humor is pretty awesome. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring models? A: I think you know intuitively when something is right for you, and it’s important to listen to that. Don’t fret if you get turned down a lot, because lots of now-successful models only made it after several years. But if it seems like it’s not working out, and you have to be very realistic about this, then leave the modeling business behind and don’t look back. Only very few make it to the top, and even at the top you will be turned down. But having said that, if you have the desire and the drive, then go for it. I have had so many incredible experiences in the past 20 years. I still cannot believe all this happened to me. MODEL MENTOR Helena Christensen wearing ‘Fergie Collier’ by Dannijo made with Swarovski Elements
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