Elle Macpherson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elle Macpherson
Macpherson in Sydney in 2011
Born	Eleanor Nancy Gow (1964-03-29) 29 March 1964 (age 61) Killara, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse(s)	Gilles Bensimon (m. 1986; div. 1989) Jeffrey Soffer (m. 2013; sep. 2017)
Partner(s)	Arpad Busson (1996–2005) Andrew Wakefield (2017–2019)
Children	2
Relatives	Mimi Macpherson (sister)
Modelling information
Hair colour	Light brown
Eye colour	Brown
Agency	d'management group (Milan) Kruger Cowne (London, Los Angeles, Nice, Hong Kong)

Eleanor Nancy Macpherson (born March 29, 1964) is an Australian model, businesswoman, television host, and actress. She was born Eleanor Nancy Gow.

She became famous for appearing on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue five times. This led to her nickname "The Body" in 1989. Elle Macpherson has started her own businesses, including a lingerie line called Elle Macpherson Intimates. She also has a skincare line called The Body.

From 2010 to 2013, she was the host and a producer for Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model. She also produced and hosted the first season of NBC's Fashion Star. As an actress, Macpherson has appeared in movies like Sirens (1994) and Batman and Robin (1997). She also had a recurring role on the TV show Friends.

Early Life and Education

Eleanor Nancy Gow was born in Killara, New South Wales, Australia, on March 29, 1964. Her father, Peter Gow, was an entrepreneur and sound engineer. Her mother, Frances Gow, was a nurse. Elle's parents divorced when she was 10. Her mother later remarried. A mistake at her new school changed her last name from Gow to Macpherson, which was her stepfather's name.

Elle grew up in East Lindfield, a suburb in Sydney's North Shore. She went to Killara High School. After high school, she studied law at the University of Sydney for one year. Her sister, Miriam Frances Gow, is known as Mimi Macpherson. She is a businesswoman and environmentalist.

Modeling Career

Becoming a Famous Model

Before starting university, Elle Macpherson went to the United States. She planned to model for a year to earn money for her law books. She signed with Click Model Management in New York City. Her modeling career began in 1982 with a TV commercial for Tab. This commercial helped her become known as a "girl next door" in Australia.

Macpherson in 1987

During the 1980s, Elle's fame grew quickly. She appeared on the covers of many major magazines. These included Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, and Time. She was on the cover of Elle many times and appeared in every issue for six years. During this time, at age 21, she married Gilles Bensimon. He was the creative director of Elle. In 1985, Macpherson became the face of the French skincare company Biotherm.

She gained even more attention from Sports Illustrated magazine's annual Swimsuit Issue. She appeared on the cover a record five times: in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, and 2006.

Elle has walked the runways for many famous fashion designers. These include Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, and Valentino. She has also been in advertising campaigns for brands like Christian Dior, Revlon, and Victoria's Secret. She also appeared in ads for Diet Coke, Chrysler, and KFC.

In 1999, the country of Antigua and Barbuda honored Macpherson. They put her face on a series of postage stamps. She was the first model to appear on legal money. Macpherson was part of the 2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Sydney. She co-hosted the Miss Universe 2001 pageant with Naomi Campbell. The Australian government even asked her to be an unofficial ambassador for tourism.

Elle Macpherson has worked with famous fashion photographers. These include Mario Testino and Steven Meisel. In 2006, she received the Style Icon award from Elle magazine. In 2008, she signed a three-year deal with Revlon Cosmetics. She became their Global Brand Ambassador. In 2010, she returned to the runway for the Louis Vuitton show in Paris.

Business Ventures

Macpherson in September 2008 at Fashion Fest

In the 1980s, Elle Macpherson became one of the first "supermodels." She was part of a group that included Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford. In 1996, The New York Times called Macpherson and six other models "The Magnificent Seven." They were known by their first names to many fans.

In 1994, she started her own company, Elle Macpherson Inc. This company managed her business projects. She created her own series of calendars. Each calendar came with a TV show about how it was made. She then used this to create a series of workout videos called "Your Personal Best – The Body."

Macpherson also launched her own line of beauty products called "Elle Macpherson – The Body." These products were sold at Boots and by the Australian suncare brand Invisible Zinc. She also spent a year on the board of directors for Hot Tuna Clothing. She gave advice on how to develop products and sell them.

In 2007, the BBC TV show The Money Programme showed a documentary about Macpherson's daily business life. In 2009, Macpherson gave the main speech at the annual meeting of the International Trademark Association.

In 2014, Macpherson helped start a company called WelleCo. They released a health supplement called The Super Elixir. This product is sold in stores like Selfridges in London.

Business Awards

Elle Macpherson has won several awards for her business skills.

• In 2005, Glamour Magazine named her Entrepreneur of the Year.
• In 2007, she received an Everywoman Ambassador Award for her success as a businesswoman.
• In 2009, she received a World Career Award from the Women's World Awards.

Acting and Hosting Career

Acting Roles

Macpherson (centre) modeling for Virgin Australia in October 2011

Macpherson first acted in the 1994 film Sirens. She played an artist's model. She then appeared in several other films. These included Batman & Robin with George Clooney and The Edge with Anthony Hopkins. In 1996, Macpherson hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live.

In 1999, Macpherson was in five episodes of the TV series Friends. She played Janine Lecroix, Joey Tribbiani's roommate and girlfriend. She also acted in Jane Eyre and If Lucy Fell. In 2001, she appeared in the Italian movie South Kensington. She played an agent named Claudia Foster in The Beautiful Life. In 2011, she was in an advertisement for Walkers Crinkles.

Hosting TV Shows

Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model

In July 2010, Macpherson became the new host of Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model. She also worked as an executive producer for the show. The show's judges included fashion designer Julien Macdonald and male model Tyson Beckford.

Fashion Star

Macpherson hosted and produced NBC's reality show Fashion Star. This show gave unknown designers a chance to launch their clothing lines. They were mentored by celebrities like Jessica Simpson. Their collections could be sold in big stores like Macy's and H&M. The first season of the show was sold to 75 countries.

Personal Life

Elle Macpherson dated Billy Joel in the early 1980s. Joel has said that some of his songs were written about their relationship.

Macpherson married French fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon in May 1986. They divorced three years later. In 1996, Macpherson started a relationship with financier Arpad Busson. They had two sons together. The family lived in London until they separated in 2005.

Macpherson later began dating Jeffrey Soffer, a hotel heir, in 2009. They broke up in 2012 but got back together after he was in a helicopter accident. They got engaged in March 2013 and married in July 2013 in Fiji. In 2017, Macpherson and Soffer announced they were separating.

Besides English, Macpherson can speak French, Italian, and Spanish.

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

Macpherson is a European Ambassador for Product Red. This group raises money and awareness to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. She is also an ambassador for UNICEF.

In Australia, she is an ambassador for the Smile Foundation. This group helps families of children with rare diseases. She has also modeled for charity events. These included raising money for 2007 British flood victims. She also helped the child welfare group Absolute Return for Kids.

In 2012, Macpherson led Sky's campaign for International Women's Day.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Elle Macpherson para niños