Elle Macpherson | |
|---|---|
 Macpherson in Sydney in 2011 | |
| Born | Eleanor Nancy Gow (1964-03-29)29 March 1964 (age 61)[4][5] Killara, New South Wales, Australia |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Partner(s) | Arpad Busson (1996–2005) Andrew Wakefield (2017–2019) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Mimi Macpherson (sister) |
| Modelling information | |
| Height | 182 cm (5 ft11+1⁄2 in) |
| Hair colour | Light brown[1] |
| Eye colour | Brown[1] |
| Agency | |
Eleanor Nancy Macpherson (/məkˈfɜːrsən/mək-FUR-sən;née Gow; born(1964-03-29)29 March 1964) is an Australian model, businesswoman, television host, and actress.
She is known for her record five cover appearances for theSports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue beginning in the 1980s, leading to her nickname "The Body", coined byTime in 1989. She is the founder, primary model, and creative director for a series of business ventures, including Elle Macpherson Intimates, a lingerie line, and The Body, a line of skin care products. She was the host and executive producer ofBritain & Ireland's Next Top Model from 2010 to 2013. She is an executive producer ofNBC'sFashion Star and was the host for thefirst season.
As an actress, Macpherson appeared in supporting roles inSirens (1994),The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996) and asJulie Madison inBatman and Robin (1997) as well as lead roles inThe Edge (1997) andSouth Kensington (2001). She had a recurring role onFriends and hosted an episode ofSaturday Night Live.
Macpherson was born Eleanor Nancy Gow inKillara, New South Wales, on 29 March 1964, the daughter of entrepreneur and sound engineer Peter Gow, a former president of theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks, aSydney rugby league team, and Frances Gow, a nurse.[6] She is ofScottish descent.[citation needed] Macpherson's parents divorced when she was 10 years old, and she moved with her mother and two siblings. Her mother later remarried, and a clerical mistake in registering at her new school meant that her surname was changed from Gow to Macpherson, her stepfather's surname.[7][8]
Macpherson grew up in East Lindfield, a suburb inSydney's North Shore, and attendedKillara High School, completing herHigher School Certificate in 1981. Her sister is businesswoman and environmentalistMimi Macpherson, born Miriam Frances Gow.[9]
Macpherson enrolled to study law at theUniversity of Sydney. Before beginning her university studies, she visited the United States to spend one year doing modelling work to earn money to pay for her law books.[10] She travelled to New York City, where she initially signed up with Click Model Management. Her modelling career began in 1982 with a television commercial forTab which established her as a "girl next door" figure in Australia.[11]
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During the 1980s, Macpherson's profile quickly rose, and she appeared on the cover and in the pages of major magazines includingElle,Harper's Bazaar,Marie Claire,Vogue,Cosmopolitan,Tatler,GQ,Allure,Mademoiselle,Glamour,Time,L'Officiel,Flare,Maxim andNew York.[12] She cemented her high-profile image through frequent appearances inElle; she was featured on numerous covers and appeared in every issue for six straight years. During that time, at the age of 21, she marriedGilles Bensimon, the creative director ofElle.[13] In 1985, Macpherson became the longtime face of luxury French skin care companyBiotherm.[14]
Eventually she garnered more exposure throughSports Illustrated magazine's annualSwimsuit Issue. She appeared on the cover a record five times: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, and 2006.
She has walked the runways forLouis Vuitton,Ralph Lauren,Azzedine Alaïa,Donna Karan,Christian Dior,Thierry Mugler,Nicole Miller,Michael Kors,Perry Ellis,Kenzo,Todd Oldham,Calvin Klein,John Galliano, andValentino.[15][16][17]
She has appeared in advertising campaigns forChristian Dior,Escada,Enrico Coveri,Azzedine Alaïa,Guy Laroche,Ralph Lauren,Victorio & Lucchino,Omega,Pinko,H&M,Victoria's Secret, ModelCo andRevlon. She also appeared in non-fashion advertising campaigns forDiet Coke,Chrysler,Miller Lite,Impulse,Budweiser,Tab,KFC,Garuda Airlines, and theMandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
After appearing nude in the 1994 filmSirens, Macpherson learned that the media had begun searching for nude photos of her, including contacting her ex-boyfriends. To address this, Macpherson appeared in a nude pictorial in the May 1994 issue ofPlayboy magazine, shot byHerb Ritts, to produce nude photos "on her own terms".[18] In 1999, the twin island nation ofAntigua and Barbuda honoured Macpherson by using her face on a series of postage stamps, the first model to appear on legal tender.[19] Macpherson appeared among other Australian icons during the2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, her elaborate float resembling a camera lens and featuring a runway.[20] Along withNaomi Campbell, she co-hosted theMiss Universe 2001 pageant. Her popularity had reached such a level that Australian government offered her a position on its tourist commission as an unofficial ambassador.[21]
During her career, Macpherson has worked withfashion photographers includingFrancesco Scavullo,Mario Testino,[22]Mert and Marcus,Ellen von Unwerth[23] andSteven Meisel. Portraits of Macpherson, shot byBob Carlos Clarke, were among those donated to theNational Portrait Gallery, London by his family following his death.[24] Macpherson received the Style Icon award at the 2006Elle Style Awards presented by fashion magazineElle.[25] In March 2008, she signed a three-year deal withRevlon Cosmetics, which named her a Global Brand Ambassador.[26] She has since been featured in print and advertising campaigns for the company. She returned to the runway in 2010 to close the fallLouis Vuitton show for Marc Jacobs in Paris.[27]
In the 1980s, together withLinda Evangelista,Christy Turlington,Tatjana Patitz,Naomi Campbell,Pavlína Pořízková, andCindy Crawford, Macpherson became part of the new generation of supermodels. In 1989, she was given the nickname Elle "The Body" Macpherson byTime magazine after she appeared on their cover. She went on to use the name in a number of business ventures.[28] In 1996, Frank DeCaro ofThe New York Times cited Macpherson, along with Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell,Helena Christensen andClaudia Schiffer as "The Magnificent Seven". DeCaro reflected, "Known by their first names to legions of fans, they are the legends of the modern catwalk, the girl next door pretty underneath all the paint".[29]
In 1994, she left her agency,Ford Models, to form her own company, Elle Macpherson Inc., which would serve as the financial organizational base for her later endeavours. She soon went on to produce her own series of calendars, each of which was accompanied by a "making of" television program in 1992, 1993, and 1994. She used this as a springboard to create the "Your Personal Best – The Body" series of workout videos.[citation needed]
She later diversified her portfolio of businesses, and in 1990 launched her lingerie collection 'Elle Macpherson Intimates' in partnership withBendon Limited Apparel. Intimates became the single best-selling lingerie line in both Great Britain[30] and Australia.[31]
The partnership was among the first instances of a crossover between a model and a fashion label. In 1989, when she was first approached by Bendon to promote their lingerie in Australia, Macpherson saw an opportunity to reverse their strategy and suggested a licensing arrangement, with products bearing her name and designs created in partnership with Bendon's team. Though commonplace now, the idea was unorthodox at the time.[32]
Macpherson took a significant role in the development and management of the company, serving aschief marketing officer and later Creative Director. In January 2010, Macpherson expanded the line, launching Obsidian as a sub-brand.[33] While nursing her second child, she spearheaded the development of a signature maternity bra line.[34] Intimates has retained a highbrand recognition into the 2000s, appearing as a featured brand onAmerica's Next Top Model; last year, the brand celebrated 10 years of being stocked atSelfridges.[citation needed]
Macpherson has also created her own line of beauty products: "Elle Macpherson – The Body". The line was carried atBoots,[35] and Australian suncare brand Invisible Zinc.[36] She spent a year on the board of directors atHot Tuna Clothing, advising on product development, brand positioning and sales strategy.[37]
In 2007, theBBC TV seriesThe Money Programme aired a documentary which followed Macpherson through her day-to-day business as she continued to develop her international lingerie business. In 2009 Macpherson delivered the Keynote Address at the annual meeting of theInternational Trademark Association.[38]
In 2014, Macpherson co-founded WelleCo, and released its flagship product, an alkalising wellness supplement,The Super Elixir. The product, sold at retailers includingSelfridges in London and the premium online retailer,Net-A-Porter has celebrity fans includingKate Moss.[39]
Macpherson has received a number of awards recognising her business acumen and the success of Elle Macpherson Intimates. In 2005, she was named Glamour Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year;[40] in 2007, she received an Everywoman Ambassador Award recognising her success as a businesswoman;[41] in 2008, theUnderfashion Club's Femmy Awards crowned her Lingerie Designer of the Year and in 2009, she received a World Career Award from the Women's World Awards.
Macpherson had her breakout role playing an artist's model in the 1994 filmSirens, which starredHugh Grant,Sam Neill, andTara FitzGerald. She also acted in a number of other film roles, appearing in films such asWoody Allen'sAlice,Batman & Robin alongsideGeorge Clooney,The Edge withAnthony Hopkins, andThe Mirror Has Two Faces withBarbra Streisand. In 1996 Macpherson hosted an episode ofSaturday Night Live.[42]
In 1999, Macpherson appeared in five episodes of the American TV seriesFriends asJoey Tribbiani's roommate and eventual girlfriend, Janine Lecroix. Macpherson went on to act in the movieJane Eyre withWilliam Hurt, and she has also appeared alongsideBen Stiller andSarah Jessica Parker inIf Lucy Fell. Her most controversial acting role was in theShowtime cable networkminiseries,A Girl Thing, as a woman experimenting withbisexuality. In 2001, she appeared in the Italian movieSouth Kensington. She played agent Claudia Foster inThe Beautiful Life, appearing withMischa Barton,Sara Paxton andCorbin Bleu. The show centred on aspiring models working for a modelling agency, trying to make it big in New York City and in the fashion world.[43] In April 2011, she starred withGary Lineker in an advertisement forWalkers Crinkles.[44]
In July 2010, Macpherson became the new host ofBritain and Ireland's Next Top Model, taking over fromLisa Snowdon. She also serves as executive producer on the show. The revamped show's panellists now includeOBE-winning fashion designerJulien Macdonald, designerWhitney Port and male modelTyson Beckford.[45]
Macpherson hosts and executive producesNBC's reality competition seriesFashion Star. The series gives 14 unknown designers, mentored by celebrities such asJessica Simpson,Nicole Richie, andJohn Varvatos, the chance to launch their collections in three of America's largest clothing retailers, includingMacy's,H&M, andSaks Fifth Avenue. Its first season was sold to 75 countries.[46]
According to a police statement reproduced online, between 11 and 22 July 1997 William Ryan Holt and Michael Mischler broke into Macpherson's Los Angeles home while she was away on business in Chicago.[47] They stole an estimated $100,000 worth of jewellery, $6,000 in cash, and several photographs. The two were arrested on 4 August 1997. Mischler, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted extortion and one count of burglary. He received a six-year and eight-month prison sentence. Holt, 26, a formerUS Air Force enlisted man and a military-justice convict out on parole, pleaded guilty to one count of extortion, and was sentenced to a year in prison.[48]
Macpherson datedBilly Joel during the early 1980s. Joel has said that the songs "This Night" and "And So It Goes" were written about his relationship with Macpherson.[49] Macpherson is also believed to be at least part of the inspiration for Joel's track "Uptown Girl".[50]
Macpherson met French fashion photographerGilles Bensimon in 1984 on a photo session forElle magazine. They wed in May 1986, and divorced three years later.[51][52]
Macpherson began a relationship with financierArpad Busson in 1996.[53] They have two sons.[54][55] The family lived together in London until their separation in July 2005.[53]
Macpherson subsequently began datingMiami, Florida-based hotel heir and billionaire Jeffrey Soffer, son ofDonald Soffer, in early 2009.[56] They broke up in March 2012,[57] but reconciled following his injury in a helicopter accident in November 2012.[57] They became engaged in March 2013,[57] and married in July 2013 at the Laucala Resort inFiji.[58][59]
In 2017, Macpherson and Soffer announced that they were getting a divorce.[60] That same year, Macpherson underwent treatment forbreast cancer, specificallyHER2 positiveestrogen receptor positiveductal carcinoma in situ. Her doctors recommended amastectomy,chemotherapy,hormone therapy, andbreast reconstruction surgery, but she decided to have alumpectomy instead of mastectomy, followed byholistic medicine instead of chemotherapy.[61][62]
From 2017 to 2019, Macpherson dated the British fraudster, anti-vaccine activist and disgraced former physicianAndrew Wakefield.[63][64][65][66]
Macpherson is a European Ambassador forProduct Red, an initiative set up byBono andBobby Shriver to raise money and awareness for theGlobal Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria[67] and to help eradicate AIDS for women and children in Africa. She is also an ambassador forUNICEF.[68]
In Australia, she is an ambassador for the Smile Foundation, which helps the families of children with rare diseases and organises government research grants.[7][8] She has also modelled for charitable causes including fundraising for2007 British flood victims,[69] and child welfare groupAbsolute Return for Kids.[70]
In 2012, Macpherson ledSky's campaign forInternational Women's Day.[71]
Macpherson is a patron for theNational Association for the Children of Alcoholics (Nacoa UK).[72]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Alice | Model | |
| 1994 | Sirens | Sheela | |
| 1996 | If Lucy Fell | Jane Lindquist | |
| Jane Eyre | Blanche Ingram | ||
| The Mirror Has Two Faces | Candice | ||
| 1997 | Batman & Robin | Julie Madison | |
| The Edge | Mickey Morse | ||
| 1998 | With Friends Like These... | Samantha Mastandrea | |
| 2001 | A Girl Thing | Lauren Travis | TV film |
| South Kensington | Camilla |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Saturday Night Live | Herself | "Elle Macpherson/Sting" (season 21: episode 14) "John Goodman/Everclear" (season 21: episode 15) |
| 1999–2000 | Friends | Janine LaCroix | "The One Where Phoebe Runs" (season 6: episode 7) "The One with Ross' Teeth" (season 6: episode 8) "The One Where Ross Got High" (season 6: episode 9) "The One with the Routine" (season 6: episode 10) "The One with the Apothecary Table" (season 6: episode 11) |
| 2008 | America's Next Top Model | Herself | "Top Model Makeovers" (cycle 10: episode 3) |
| 2009 | The Beautiful Life: TBL | Claudia Foster | Main role; series cancelled after 2 episodes |
| 2010–2013 | Britain's Next Top Model | Herself | Host; reality TV series |
| 2012–2013 | Fashion Star | Herself | Host; reality TV series |
| 2016 | Australia's Next Top Model | Herself | Guest Mentor |
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