Elle Macpherson

Eleanor Nancy Macpherson (née Gow; born 29 March 1964) is an Australian model, businesswoman, television host, and actress. She achieved international fame starting in the 1980s with a record five cover appearances on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, earning her the nickname "The Body," coined by Time magazine in 1989. Beyond modeling, she has founded and directed several business ventures, hosted and executive produced television shows, and acted in various film and television productions.

Macpherson was born in Killara, New South Wales, to Peter Gow, an entrepreneur and sound engineer, and Frances Gow, a nurse. Following her parents' divorce when she was 10, her surname was changed to Macpherson, her stepfather's surname, due to a clerical mistake at a new school. She grew up in East Lindfield and attended Killara High School, graduating in 1981. She enrolled to study law at the University of Sydney, but traveled to the United States to model for a year to earn money for law books, signing with Click Model Management in New York City.

Her professional modeling career launched in 1982 with an Australian television commercial for Tab. During the 1980s, Macpherson appeared on the covers of numerous major magazines, including Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, GQ, and Time. She was featured in every issue of Elle for six consecutive years and appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, and 2006. She has walked the runway for luxury fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren, and signed a global brand ambassador deal with Revlon Cosmetics in 2008.

As a businesswoman, Macpherson left Ford Models in 1994 to form Elle Macpherson Inc., producing calendars and workout videos. In 1990, she launched her signature lingerie line, Elle Macpherson Intimates, in partnership with Bendon Limited Apparel, which became a top-selling brand in Great Britain and Australia. She later launched "Elle Macpherson—The Body" skin care and beauty products, served on the board of Hot Tuna Clothing, and co-founded the wellness company WelleCo in 2014, releasing the supplement The Super Elixir.

Macpherson made her film debut in a breakout role in Sirens (1994), subsequently appearing in films including The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), Batman & Robin (1997), The Edge (1997), and South Kensington (2001). Her television credits include hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live, playing Joey Tribbiani's roommate Janine Lecroix in five episodes of Friends, and starring in the series The Beautiful Life. She hosted and executive produced Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model from 2010 to 2013, and hosted the first season while executive producing NBC's Fashion Star.

Throughout her career, Macpherson has received several honors, including Glamour Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005, the Style Icon award at the 2006 Elle Style Awards, and a World Career Award in 2009. In 1999, Antigua and Barbuda featured her on a series of postage stamps. Additionally, she serves as an ambassador for Product Red, UNICEF, and the Smile Foundation, and acts as a patron for the National Association for the Children of Alcoholics.