When Elle Macpherson turned 50, she suddenly began to struggle with her health, and it marked a huge turning point in her life. “I hit a wall,” the supermodel recalls of the moment she realised she needed to start taking better care of herself. “At 50, I actually began to notice how run-down I felt.”
But now, weeks before she celebrates her 60th on Friday, 29 March, she graced the catwalk for the first time in over a decade. Taking part in the Melbourne Fashion Festival 2024, and marking 14 years since she last hit the runway, Elle had never looked better, proving that age really is just a number.
“This is just an evolution,” she said of the appearance. “I’ve come to understand it’s not wise to be like anyone else. You have to be your actual self and that’s what I’ll be now. I’ll be walking my true self down the runway."
“What people find attractive and charismatic is our individuality, and I think it’s critical that people nurture their individuality and be comfortable in it.” Rewinding 10 years, however, Elle confessed to struggling with her changing body, saying she didn’t “recognise” what she saw in the mirror any more.
“I wasn’t feeling like myself and I was struggling with sleep, my skin was dry and dull, my hair was brittle and I felt unmotivated,” she said. “I used to think I was healthy because I could survive on three hours of sleep and snack on coffee... In people’s eyes, I suspect I still looked great, but I didn’t feel great.”
So what has changed as Elle begins this new era? “I go to bed with a smile. I go to bed with a happy heart. And an eye mask. No clothes!” she laughed. Her secret to staying youthful these days is down to adopting an entirely new wellness routine in a bid to take better care of herself. Cutting out caffeine, eating her last meal at 5pm and settling for nothing less than eight hours of sleep a night are all non-negotiables for the star as she enters her seventh decade.
With such a zen night-time routine, it’s not surprising to learn that Elle’s daily rituals also centre around health and wellness. The first thing she does when her alarm goes off at 5am, Elle reveals, is to “smile”. She reaches for a refreshing water and lime, before dedicating 25 minutes to meditating. She then jumps on her bike and cycles to the beach for a 6.30am swim.
Adhering to a plant-based diet – which includes fruit and vegetables handpicked from her local farmer’s market – and choosing homemade meals that steer clear of red meat, dairy and sugar, are also key for maintaining her enviable figure. Wellness and self-discipline have, of course, been synonymous with Elle ever since she rose to fame by appearing in Sports Illustrated magazine.
In fact, the Aussie star – who was born Eleanor Nancy Gow in Killara, New South Wales, in 1964, to parents Peter and Frances – is known for her record five covers for the Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit issue, beginning in the 1980s. It led to her nickname “The Body”, coined by Time magazine in 1989.
Before entering the fashion world and hitting the runway for brands including Christian Dior, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein and Valentino, Elle studied law at the University of Sydney for a year. She then decided to drop out after being spotted by a model scout while on holiday in Aspen.
This catapulted her to global fame, as she went on to become one of the original ‘Supers’ (supermodels) in the 1980s, alongside Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer. She now has a fortune estimated at $95 million. But, despite the scrutiny models face when it comes to things like strict diets or the portrayal of unrealistic bodies, modelling has always held a much deeper meaning for Elle.
“The supermodel movement facilitated the uniqueness of women. We were all so diverse and our individuality was supported by the business,” she said. “You didn’t have to be a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American girl. That’s why we loved that group of girls [the Supers], as they were so different from each other, and they leaned into their uniqueness.”
After that life-changing moment in Aspen, Elle’s career quickly went stratospheric, and has since spanned four impressive decades and various other professions. These include stints as a producer and host of Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model , a range of business ventures, including lingerie and wellness products, and philanthropic work with UNICEF.
In 1990, she branched out into acting, first appearing on the silver screen in Woody Allen’s Alice and in her iconic role of Sheela in the Australian film Sirens . She later starred alongside George Clooney in Batman & Robin, and appeared in the TV series Friends as Joey’s dancer roommate, Janine. Most recently, she founded a supplement range, WelleCo, which helps others to follow a similar healthy lifestyle to herself.
Sparkling career and accolades aside, Elle – who currently resides in Florida, even though she misses “the boundless nature” of Australia – says nothing has topped a home life filled with love.
“Having children is my greatest achievement,” she says. “It was my saviour. It switched my focus from the outside to the inside. My children are gifts, they remind me of what’s important.”
Elle shares sons Flynn, 26, and 21-year-old Aurelius Cy with her ex-partner, French banker Arki Busson, from whom she split in 2005, after nine years together. The supermodel was previously married to French fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon – they tied the knot in 1986, but divorced three years later.
After her relationship with Arki ended, Elle said “I do” for a second time to businessman Jeffrey Soffer. The couple started dating in 2009, but split for eight months in 2012, before reconciling and getting engaged later that year, after Jeffrey was injured in a helicopter crash that killed his friend. Elle married the Miami-based hotel heir and billionaire in a beautiful ceremony in July 2013.
Alongside her own two children, Elle became stepmum to three of Jeffrey’s children. “Becoming a stepmother has been the biggest gift and I cherish my relationship with all five children,” she said.
However, in 2017, Elle and Jeffrey sadly called it quits. Most recently, she has been linked to 55-year-old guitarist and producer Doyle Bramhall II. But, as she reaches her 60th birthday, Elle is focusing on the real secret to happiness, which is being who you “really are” and staying true to yourself. “Topical beauty only goes so far,” she explains. “Your outer beauty is a reflection of your inner health.”
Happy birthday, Elle!
