Elle Macpherson says today’s models need to ‘get off the pedestal,' ‘come back down to earth’
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Elle Macpherson, famously known as “The Body,” believes models need to be more relatable to the public.
“There have been quite a lot of changes with social media,” the Australian supermodel said in a new interview. “(In the past) the more iconic you were, the more distanced you were from your public, the greater your success.”
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“Today, the more relatable you are, the more connected you are to your public, the greater your success,” the 55-year-old told The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday. “I think that the models that have been able to transition in this period… have been the girls that have been willing to get off the pedestal, and come back down to earth, and start working with businesses that really resonate with them. So that they can talk about who they are and what they believe in, in everyday ways, instead of having to be like a rock star.”
Elle Macpherson, nicknamed "The Body" for her statuesque features, posed on the red carpet while attending the Mon Cheri Barbara Day event in the old Bayerische Staatsbank. (Getty/X17)
According to the outlet, Macpherson has used her supermodel status to build a thriving empire worth a whopping $95 million. Most recently, Macpherson launched a line of plant-based elixirs with her business venture, WelleCo. She previously embarked on design and acting.
“The business of modeling has changed,” Macpherson explained. “In the ‘80s and ‘90s when I first started, everything was about bigger, better, bolder — your work was about creating an image and that was the most important thing, your image.”
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“When I first started modeling in Australia… you did everything — you were a hand model, a foot model, swimwear, runway, TV commercials. If you wanted to earn money, you had to be versatile… I was so lucky because, at that time, there was the rise of the supermodel. It started to become a very powerful industry.”
Elle Macpherson poses for photographers during the launch of her new bath and body collection, "Elle Macpherson The Body" on Oxford Street in central London. (Reuters)
Back in 2018, Macpherson insisted on “This Morning” that she hasn’t gone under the knife to maintain her famous features.
“I haven’t done any plastic surgery, not that I have any judgment – it just hasn’t been my choice,” she claimed at the time. “I like a natural-looking face.”
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit star, who skyrocketed to fame in the ‘80s, insisted she’s proud of how her body has changed over the years, especially after becoming a mother to two sons.
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“I try to do some exercise every day, but thank goodness I don’t have the same body as in my 20s,” said the Australian model. “This body has birthed two incredible boys and lived through amazing stages of fashion and fitness. There have been many changes and I’m grateful to be able to evolve over time. I’m open to change and evolve. These are tangible assets in my life.”
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Macpherson said the secret behind her confidence has been to maintain a healthy lifestyle with the help of a plant-based diet.
“When I turned 50 I realized things I did in my 20s weren’t working anymore,” she said. “I follow a plant-based alkaline diet, focusing on healthy, whole food.
"I take green powder and protein powder every day, and I drink three liters of water a day. Being Australian, the outdoors has always been important to me. So I like to get out, hike, walk the dogs, swim laps and I do yoga in the evening. There’s been such a change not just in my body, but my wellbeing.”
This isn’t the first time Macpherson has claimed she hasn’t considered plastic surgery. Back in 2016, she told UK’s Telegraph she preferred having a no-nonsense diet over anything else.
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“No, I haven’t had surgery; it’s not in my game plan,” she said. “I don’t have any perspective on it for anybody else, only for myself. I would worry because I know things can go wrong really easily. With some of these procedures, you might feel that you look younger, but it doesn’t look quite right.
“So I try to keep it really natural, I can’t do laser on my skin because I’ve spent so much time in the sun and it gets hyperpigmentation.”
Still, that doesn’t mean Macpherson hasn’t dabbled in certain procedures. When asked if she has tried Botox and collagen to smooth out the signs of aging, she simply said yes.
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“Yeah, I’ve tried things, but most of the time they don’t work for me,” she said. “It doesn’t work for my face – some people get things done and they look worse. I’m a bit of a scaredy-cat and I don’t want to mess with what there is. At this point, I think it’s best to leave what I have alone.
“Having said that, I do vitamin injections, infusions and I work on my nutrition,” she added. “… I’ve learned that a good smile, good teeth, good hair, good skin, a good mood are worth a thousand injectables and Botox and facials and masks.”