Helena Christensen “loves” vintage lingerie – but would rather wear comfortable cotton pants.

The 52-year-old supermodel collects antique lace underwear and though she loves looking at the garments, she admitted she doesn’t wear them that much as they don’t feel as comfy as basic pieces.

She said: “I love vintage lingerie. I collect antique lace, but it’s almost like, ‘Oh my God, they’re so pretty to look at, but now I’m going to put on a pair of hand-dyed cotton underwear where I’m comfortable.’

“A lot of my dresses and shirts are see-through and open, so you can see details from the lingerie.”

Although Helena – who has 21-year-old son Mingus with former partner Norman Reedus – dressed for comfort during lockdown, she didn’t completely sacrifice style in favour of nothing but sweatpants.

She told The Times’ Weekend magazine: “I absolutely was not wearing the same sweatpants every day. That would have been a very smelly situation.

“But I was definitely wearing very comfortable clothes — that included sweatshirts, sweatpants, but also a lot of loose, vintage slip dresses.”

Helena hates being questioned about ageing because she thinks it sets things back for women so she tries to keep the subject off the table.

Asked why it isn’t something she wants to talk about, she said: “As soon as [age] is mentioned anywhere we [women] set ourselves back by doing it again, again, again, again.

“We’re going to move away from it always being mentioned, especially in female interviews. When a man interviews a man they’re not going to ask about it. They’re interested in, ‘How’s work? What’s going on?’

“So I don’t want anything to do with it and that way in my own little, little, little way I might be able to change something that always happens.”