Elle Macpherson always felt like she was more than just ‘The Body’.
Elle Macpherson says there is more to her than just her body
The 59-year-old beauty rose to fame in the 1980s after gracing the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue a record five times, and Time magazine later coined her iconic nickname in 1989.
Elle "embraced" her Amazonian physique which helped catapult her into the limelight alongside 90s supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer - but she maintains she is more than just her nickname and used it to her advantage.
She told HELLO! magazine: “I never took it personally. I embraced my Amazonian athleticism. I wasn’t the ‘norm’ and there were times where I felt out of place. But I just used it. It’s easier to use it then lose it.
“It’s impossible for us all to fit into one body type! The one thing that never goes out of fashion is health and wellbeing. Also being in your own uniqueness, that’s always fashionable.”
The term 'supermodel' was first coined during the 80s for models who were stars in their own right, while the originals like Elle were innovators in fashion by changing the perception of the typical "blonde-haired, blue-eyed" American sweetheart.
She added: “The supermodel movement facilitated the uniqueness of women. We were all so diverse and our individuality was supported by the business. You didn’t have be a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American girl. That’s why we loved that group of girls as they were so different from each other and they leaned into their uniqueness.”
As she approaches her 60th birthday, Elle continues to push boundaries by pushing back against ageism in the industry.
She explained: “I’ve loved the flow of my own career and I feel much of my success is due to a willingness to adapt.
"To being a teenage model, to a successful entrepreneur in my thirties, a mother in my forties, starting WelleCo in my fifties and now shooting fashion campaigns at nearly 60, it’s been a wonderful ride. I believe that beauty is more aligned with wellness than youth.
"That’s how you can be beautiful at all ages.”
Tagged in Claudia Schiffer Elle Macpherson Naomi Campbell