Elle Macpherson Is Nearly 60 & Still Looks Gorgeous

Jan 29, 2021

Elle Macpherson, 56, isn't one to shy away from taking a dip into the unknown. At just 18 years old, she left her home in Sydney, Australia, for a life in New York City with nothing but a few hundred dollars in her wallet and a dream to make it big in the modeling industry. That bold choice ultimately paid off; well into her 50s, Macpherson still makes regular appearances on the covers of Vogue. 

Born Eleanor Nancy Gow in Sydney, Australia, it might come as a surprise to some that Macpherson was somewhat tomboyish as a child. According to Hello, the model confessed that at the time, she favored climbing trees to playing with dolls. At 17 years old, she was discovered by a modeling scout while on holiday in Aspen. Then about to start law school at Sydney University, Macpherson decided to take up the opportunity to save up money for her upcoming studies. She hopped on a plane and flew to New York, where she would take up a short-term job before attending university back home. While the move was only meant to be temporary, the supermodel ended up staying in the "big apple" until today.

Her career took off almost instantly, and, just like that, Macpherson became one of the biggest names in the modeling industry of the '80s. She landed cover after cover of high profile magazines like Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and many more, before finally making her big break on Sport's Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue in 1986. Macpherson became the de-facto face for the magazine in the years to come, with her appearing on the swimsuit issue's cover another three consecutive years and appearing in every issue for six.

While Macpherson might have made a name for herself as 'The Body' thanks to her multiple appearances in Sports Illustrated, the Australian beauty's versatility stretches far beyond that nickname. From Friends to Saturday Night Live, Macpherson has proven that she can do far more than be a pretty face in front of the camera. 

Macpherson has a knack for entrepreneurship too. Over her decade-spanning career, the model has released calendars, workout videos, and even a lingerie line. In 2015, Macpherson once again took a risk by stepping into yet another endeavor. With no guarantee of success, she launched her line of protein powder and supplements, WelleCo. Today, the company is said to be worth around $20 million – proving once again that taking a risk can pay off. But what is Macpherson's secret to reinvention? In an interview with Body and Soul last year, the model boiled it down to being flexible to whatever life might throw at her. "I've been open-hearted and embraced the changes," she said.

According to Macpherson, that flexibility was an influence on her father's behalf, whom she described as a "jack of all trades."

"He had this idea that he was going to die at the age of 50, like his father and grandfather before him. He had it all worked out — he would retire at 40 and have enough money to enjoy the fruits of his labour for the remaining 10 years. Except, he didn't die," she recalled. "Over the past 40 years, he's had to reinvent himself and make that money last well beyond what it was meant to. He's incredibly resourceful and it's a quality I really admire."

That resourcefulness inspired Macpherson to diversify her career to stay relevant in her later years. While 60 used to be the age for entering the retirement stage of life, she admits that that is much different today. As time went by and the world rapidly changed, she had to adapt and re-evaluate the direction she was going in. 

"I am where I am today because I was willing to evolve and grow. I knew that I couldn't model forever and, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. So, I started thinking about how I could evolve out of being in front of the camera every day and still capitalise on the image I had been growing for years."

That's how Macpherson's idea for WellCo came along. Her reputation as 'The Body' paired with her passion for everything health and wellness inspired the entrepreneur to create a product for others looking for her secret.  

 “WelleCo was a combination of my own personal wellness journey and vision, and that became the foundation of the business," she explained. "It wasn’t like I made a calculated decision to be in the wellness business, or to move into it because it made good business sense. It just happened to coincide — the right place, right time.”

Through her experience, Macpherson now hopes to inspire other women to go after their own dreams and take their future into their hands. While she doesn't doubt that they are capable, she said that people might not reach their full potential for fear of the unknown. That's why, she explained, it's important for us to force ourselves out of our comfort zones sometimes. "People are scared to try things because they're afraid of making mistakes, but I think you can't learn unless you experience things," Macpherson said.

"Life is always going to be about risk and business is always going to be about risk. But having the courage to go through those learning experiences is a great way to transform risk into prosperity. I don't believe in making mistakes."

While Macpherson might have taken a turn for business over the last years, the supermodel is arguably still the reigning queen of body. Her secret, she claimed, is that she re-calibrated herself to focus on her health in the last few decades. 

"Since 2003, I made a conscious decision to rethink the way I was approaching my health and wellbeing," Macpherson told Yahoo Beauty in 2014. I started natural alternative therapies including acupuncture, naturopathy, craniosacral work, and osteopathy. I was taking a lot of supplements to make sure that my cells were clean and working well."

After that, the entrepreneur said she switched her unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol for healthier ones, like yoga. 

"I do a bunch of different things. I am spinning a lot, I either swim for an hour along the beach or in the pool, and sometimes I walk knee deep along the beach. I am doing Ashtanga Yoga which I really like. I also like to hike, downhill ski, and water ski," Macpherson said.

Perhaps the most important thing she's ever done for her body was adopt a plant-based diet to stay strong. 

"I am constantly tweaking my diet according to how I am feeling. In the fall, I know it is time to start eating warm food like root vegetables and broth," she said. "In the summer I like more raw foods, including vegetables and a lot of grains. I always have a grain protein, and maybe an animal protein, often fish. I love buckwheat, barley, quinoa, spinach, and kale."

But when asked what the antidote to aging is, Macpherson stressed that she truly believes that beauty "comes from within." In her view, outwards beauty and general well-being only come after one focuses on how they treat their body. 

"Get your body well, functioning well on a cellular level, and that will iron out a lot of the issues that you may think can be helped with a quick fix. I truly believe nourishment is the number one place to look, particularly for women at my age," she said. 

Lately, Macpherson has become more active on Instagram, sharing photos and videos of her day-to-day life with her 500 K + followers. In her first post of 2021, the supermodel reflected on the previous tumultuous year, which she said she was "grateful" for. The long caption accompanied a boomerang-style clip of the model sporting a straw hat, with her long silky blond strands flowing with the wind.

"Thank you for giving me a clear view — 20/20 vision. 2020 opened my eyes, opened my heart, opened my mind. I grew my community of beautiful, like-minded souls; grew my understanding of wellness and wellbeing," she wrote.

The businesswoman went on to say that she had "witnessed wonder" in her life as she referred to her two sons, Arpad Flynn Busson, 22, and Aurelius Cy, 17.

"My eldest son graduated with honours and flourished in life thanks to his own commitment and perseverance and effort," Macpherson revealed. "My youngest adapted and thrived through the difficulties of lockdown and was offered a place at a dream college; and our dog healed from cancer through natural protocols thanks to a brilliant vet," she added. 

She then explained that 2020 helped her learn to "value stillness." 

"And I learned to value stillness and the importance of establishing balance between doing and being — you can’t see your reflection in running water," Macpherson continued. "And if you can’t see your reflection, you can't learn about yourself and grow."

Finally, the supermodel said she was "'looking forward to a calm, prosperous and joyous 2021."

What are your secrets to looking fabulous in the later years? Do you have a trick or two up your sleeve as well? Let us know in the comments, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!