Rise to fame as model Macpherson enrolled to study law at the
University of Sydney. Before beginning her university studies, she travelled to the United States to spend a year doing modelling work to earn money to pay for her law books. 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 for
Tab, a remake of an American one that featured Lisa Parker, which established her as a "
girl next door" figure in Australia. During the 1980s, Macpherson's profile quickly rose, and she appeared on the cover and in the pages of major magazines including
Elle, ''
Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Vogue
, Cosmopolitan, Tatler, GQ, Allure,
Mademoiselle, Glamour, Time
, L'Officiel, Flare, Maxim, and New York
. She cemented her high-profile image through frequent appearances in Elle
; she was featured on numerous covers and appeared in every issue for six straight years. During that time, at the age of 21, she married Gilles Bensimon, the creative director of Elle''. In 1985, Macpherson became the longtime face of luxury French skincare company
Biotherm. Eventually she garnered more exposure through
Sports Illustrated magazine's annual
Swimsuit Issue. She appeared on the cover a record five times: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, and 2006. She has walked the runways for
Louis Vuitton,
Ralph Lauren,
Azzedine Alaïa,
Donna Karan,
Christian Dior,
Thierry Mugler,
Nicole Miller,
Michael Kors,
Perry Ellis,
Kenzo,
Todd Oldham,
Calvin Klein,
John Galliano, and
Valentino. After appearing nude in the 1994 film
Sirens, 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 of
Playboy magazine, shot by
Herb Ritts, to produce nude photos "on her own terms". In 1999, the twin island nation of
Antigua and Barbuda honoured Macpherson by using her face on a series of postage stamps, the first model to appear on legal tender. Macpherson appeared among other Australian icons during the
2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, her elaborate float resembling a camera lens and featuring a runway. Along with
Naomi Campbell, she co-hosted the
Miss Universe 2001 pageant. Her popularity had reached such a level that the Australian government offered her a position on its tourist commission as an unofficial ambassador. During her career, Macpherson has worked with
fashion photographers including
Francesco Scavullo,
Mario Testino,
Mert and Marcus,
Ellen von Unwerth, and
Steven Meisel. Portraits of Macpherson, shot by
Bob Carlos Clarke, were among those donated to the
National Portrait Gallery by his family following his death. Macpherson received the Style Icon award at the 2006
Elle Style Awards presented by fashion magazine
Elle. In March 2008, she signed a three-year deal with
Revlon Cosmetics, which named her a global brand ambassador. She has since been featured in print and advertising campaigns for the company. She returned to the runway in 2010 to close the fall
Louis Vuitton show for Marc Jacobs in Paris.
Business career In the 1980s, together with
Linda Evangelista,
Christy Turlington,
Tatjana Patitz,
Naomi Campbell,
Pavlína Pořízková, and
Cindy Crawford, Macpherson became part of the new generation of
supermodels.
Time magazine bestowed the nickname Elle "The Body" Macpherson upon her in 1989 after she graced their cover. She went on to use the name in a number of business ventures. In 1996, Frank DeCaro of
The New York Times cited Macpherson, along with Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell,
Helena Christensen, and
Claudia 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." In 1994, she left her agency,
Ford Models, to form her own company, Elle Macpherson Inc., which would serve as the financial organisational 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. She later diversified her portfolio of businesses and, in 1990, launched her lingerie collection 'Elle Macpherson Intimates' in partnership with
Bendon Limited Apparel. Intimates became the single best-selling lingerie line in both Great Britain and Australia. 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. Macpherson took a significant role in the development and management of the company, serving as
chief marketing officer and later creative director. In January 2010, Macpherson expanded the line, launching Obsidian as a sub-brand. While nursing her second child, she spearheaded the development of a signature maternity bra line. Intimates has retained a high
brand recognition into the 2000s, appearing as a featured brand on ''
America's Next Top Model''; last year, the brand celebrated 10 years of being stocked at
Selfridges. Macpherson has also created her own line of beauty products: "Elle Macpherson—The Body". The line was carried at
Boots, and Australian suncare brand Invisible Zinc. She spent a year on the board of directors at
Hot Tuna Clothing, advising on product development, brand positioning, and sales strategy. In 2007, the
BBC TV series
The Money Programme aired a documentary that 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 the
International Trademark Association. In 2014, Macpherson co-founded WelleCo and released its flagship product, an alkalising wellness supplement,
The Super Elixir. The product, sold at retailers including
Selfridges in London and the premium online retailer
Net-A-Porter, has celebrity fans including
Kate Moss.
Awards 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; in 2007, she received an Everywoman Ambassador Award recognising her success as a businesswoman; in 2008, the
Underfashion 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.
Acting career Macpherson had her breakout role playing an artist's model in the 1994 film
Sirens, which starred
Hugh Grant,
Sam Neill, and
Tara FitzGerald. She also acted in a number of other film roles, appearing in films such as
Woody Allen's
Alice,
Batman & Robin alongside
George Clooney,
The Edge with
Anthony Hopkins, and
The Mirror Has Two Faces with
Barbra Streisand. In 1996 Macpherson hosted an episode of
Saturday Night Live. In 1999, Macpherson appeared in five episodes of the American TV series
Friends as
Joey Tribbiani's roommate and eventual girlfriend, Janine Lecroix. Macpherson went on to act in the movie
Jane Eyre with
William Hurt, and she has also appeared alongside
Ben Stiller and
Sarah Jessica Parker in
If Lucy Fell. her most controversial acting role was in the
Showtime cable network
miniseries A Girl Thing, as a woman experimenting with
bisexuality. In 2001, she appeared in the Italian movie
South Kensington. She played agent Claudia Foster in
The Beautiful Life, appearing with
Mischa Barton,
Sara Paxton and
Corbin Bleu. The show centred on aspiring models working for a modelling agency and trying to make it big in New York City and in the fashion world. In April 2011, she starred with
Gary Lineker in an advertisement for
Walkers Crinkles.
Hosting career ''Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model'' In July 2010, Macpherson became the new host of ''
Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model'', taking over from
Lisa Snowdon. She also serves as executive producer on the show. The revamped show's panellists now include
OBE-winning fashion designer
Julien Macdonald, designer
Whitney Port and male model
Tyson Beckford.
Fashion Star Macpherson hosts and executive produces
NBC's reality competition series,
Fashion Star. The series gives 14 unknown designers, mentored by celebrities such as
Jessica Simpson,
Nicole Richie, and
John Varvatos, the chance to launch their collections in three of America's largest clothing retailers, including
Macy's,
H&M, and
Saks Fifth Avenue. Its first season was sold to 75 countries.
Extortion attempt 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. 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 former
US 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. ==Personal life==