Helena Christensen’s perfect holiday secrets

Helena on… taste

Where in the world has the best food?

I might be biased because of my mixed heritage, but Peru and Denmark do have the most amazing food. Peruvian cuisine is incredible – they have the ocean and the freshest exotic fruit and vegetables right on their doorstep. Danish cuisine on the other hand has its culture of experimentation. I love trying things together that I never would have dreamed of matching.

What’s your favourite comfort food?

Comfort food for me is always Italian. I love pasta covered with a rich sauce, heaps of parmesan and drizzled in oil.

Helena on… touch

What’s your favourite spa treatment?

I love massages. They are a really healthy way of de-stressing and I think they’re actually very important – you forget how much weight your feet are carrying around every day. I don’t go as much as I would like to so it often ends up as a holiday treat. I like booking massages for late afternoon as the sun goes down – it’s the ultimate luxury.

What holiday staple makes you feel most comfortable?

A light, easy flowing cotton shirt. It’s important to wear something comfortable on your skin when you’re hot. The boyfriend shirt I designed for Sensatori is perfect because you can just throw it over a bikini and live in it for your whole holiday because it transitions easily from the beach to the bar.

Helena on… sight

What’s the most beautiful country you’ve been to?

When the world has so many beautiful spots it’s hard to narrow it down. New Zealand to me is picture perfect – it couldn’t be more surreal or beautiful, but I also loved Mexico where we shot the photos of my boyfriend shirt collection for Sensatori. The beaches on the Riviera Maya where the resort is are amazing – they’re the most beautiful turquoise blue during the day and there’s gorgeous, colourful sunsets at night.

What makes the perfect photograph?

I read a quote the other day from Henry David Thoreau which said, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” I think the perfect photo is about capturing a moment rather than an image. Of course natural light, shadow and composition are important, but the thing that matters most is how you frame it in your mind. For me, it’s all about the accident in a photo. Capturing the unexpected is what makes an image interesting.

Helena on… sound

What’s on your holiday playlist?

Something very mellow because you want to feel like you’re as far away from the stresses of your daily life as possible. I like listening to Chet Baker and Billie Holiday - anything soulful that helps me relax. Reggae is also good for relaxing, especially when you’re at Sensatori Resort Jamaica. It perfectly captures those mellow vibes.

What makes you instantly relax?

The singing of cicadas. I find the sound of these insects very calming. Late afternoon in Mexico you always hear them and even though it’s constant, it never bothers me. I find it hypnotically soothing.

Helena on… smell

What always reminds you of holidays?

When we were little, my mum would always put a sunscreen on me that smelt like coconut, so now the scent of it reminds me of my childhood holidays, of being happy and without a care in the world. As soon as anyone opens a product with coconut in, I’m immediately transported back to those memories.

If you could bottle the scent of a holiday, what would be in it?

Exotic flowers – they have an intense sweetness to them that just reminds you of sipping cocktails on the beach. Florals always feel like a holiday reference, which is why I used them in the patterns for my Sensatori boyfriend shirt collection.

Find your perfect Sensatori resort

Take your pick from all our destinations.

Author: Georgie Lane-Godfrey