Helena Christensen buys her clothes in second-hand shops.

Helena Christensen

Helena Christensen

The 49-year-old supermodel may have a vast fortune, but she feels the need to "justify" any expensive fashion purchases and much prefers buying pieces that are "lived in and unique".

She said: "I dress the way I live - messy, colourful and peculiarly put together.

"I shop at second-hand stores and online. I find much more joy in finding pieces that have been lived-in and are unique.

"I obviously have enough clothes, so I really have to justify an expensive designer piece, but I'll repeat-buy jumpsuits, sweaters, big socks, and, currently, sneakers.

"I've found some great old Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel jumpsuits online.

"I like straight lines. I often buy men's pants, which I'll wear with a white T-shirt. Either that, or I buy romantic, bohemian dresses. I like the extremes of masculine and feminine."

And Helena - who has 18-year-old son Mingus from her relationship with Norman Reedus - admitted she doesn't like perfection or for things to match.

She told Red magazine: "I feel very comfortable when nothing goes together.

"Subconsciously I think I have an aversion to anything that's perfectly matched, even people or relationships or in a song - when there's an off note, that's the one that catches me.

"But I'm also a Capricorn, so I like things to be ordered - they have to be in their proper place, but in a very messy way."

The Danish photographer also favours one-off items of furniture over purchasing from chain stores.

She said: "I'll occasionally shop at IKEA and all my lanterns come from Restoration Hardware, but 80 per cent of my furnishings were bought in Upstate New York.

"The Hudson Valley is a Mecca for antique lovers. I have so much respect and admiration for anything that's been done by hand - I think you get a little piece of their mind in that object, it's like an extension of another human being."


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