EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW An ELLE of a role

The superstar is back to mentor young hopefuls on ’s Next , writesShannon Molloy

ou don’t get a three-decade modelling career like ’s by starving yourself and surviving on a diet of cocaine and celery sticks. Those stereotypes of twig-thin beauties fasting for days before a shoot are less and less reflective of reality, the Australian Ysupermodel believes. But there’s no doubt the industry still places enormous pressure on girls — many of whom begin working in their early teens. “I remember myself at that age — I was like a sponge,” Macpherson reflects. It’s why her special guest appearance next week on Australia’s Next Top Model sees her swing into a familiar protective mentor mode. For years, she was the host and executive producer of the British equivalent of the reality television show. Macpherson admits she’s in a reflective mood “I’m quite considered and thoughtful lately. Perhaps it’s that her 18-year-old son Flynn about what I say. I think it’s important to is now older than she was when she set off on a connect with the girls by putting yourself in three-month trip to America after school, and Elle Macpherson their position.” stumbled into modelling. shows off the And as a role model, Macpherson says she Or maybe it’s that her initial steps into her beach-girl style feels a responsibility to deliver positive messages. fifties, the next phase of her life — a new era of that made her “Being healthy, getting an education, being growth and evolution — have felt a lot like name; and (above well-mannered, listening … That’s what we “going through puberty again”. right) contestant should be telling these girls — all girls really,” The Body, as she came to be known in the Kassidy Ure was she says. “It’s important to look after your body. industry, suddenly breaks into a rendition of overwhelmed to Nutrition is number one. You can’t starve Peter Allen’s famed anthem to his homeland. meet her idol on yourself; you shouldn’t try to be too thin. Strong “No matter how far or how wide I roam …” Australia’s Next is the new sexy. Those are the messages I try to Macpherson, 52, sings, beaming her famous Top Model. give them.” smile, “I still call Australia home.” Spending time with the current crop of She’s roamed far in her life, with stints living hopefuls reminded Macpherson of the high in London, New York and now Miami, plus calibre of established local models who continue travel to just about every major city on Earth. to do well on the world stage. Models like Shanina “Australia will always be home to me,” she Shaik, , Bambi Northwood-Blyth says. “I love being here and seeing my friends and are some of the latest “it” girls, and family. I miss so much. I usually race straight who, alongside superstars such as , to a corner shop to buy a Paddle Pop the Abbey Lee Kershaw and are among moment I’m back. I like the banana ones but the most in-demand faces in the business. they don’t seem to make them any more. 06 September 24, 2016

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Now in its tenth season, Australia’s Next Top Model has unearthed a long list of stunners. And they’ve gone on to big things, walking the world’s biggest runways, representing major brands and gracing the hottest fashion magazines. Here are six big-name stars of the industry to be discovered by the Foxtel reality series. 1. Gemma Sanderson, 2005 She won the first season and these days lives in London, where she’s modelling full-time. Sanderson has fronted campaigns for David Jones, Myer, ASOS and Macy’s and has appeared in magazines from Elle to Maxim.

2. Alice Burdeu, 2007 The red-headed stunner is arguably the most successful ANTM graduate, having worked for Giorgio Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen. She’s appeared in the world’s top fashion magazines including Elle UK, 5. Montana Cox, 2011 Vogue Australia and Marie Claire Italy. She returned in the ANTM debut episode this week to do a photo shoot challenge with the current hopefuls, taking a break from her busy international career. 3. Cassi Van Den Dungen, 2009 Cox has hit the runway for Christian , , After a bumpy start to her career, which she put on Kenzo and Givenchy. She’s a glossy magazine regular hold to be with her boyfriend, Van Den Dungen has and has featured in Vogue Australia, Vogue Italia and become a major force in modelling. At home, she has Harper’s Bazaar. been the face of Portmans and a regular for Alex Perry. Abroad, she has walked for Miu Miu, Antonio Beradi and Calvin Klein. 6. Brittany Beattie, 2015 The truck driver has swapped bobcats for the catwalk after winning last season’s competition. As well as 4. Tahnee Atkinson, 2009 gracing the cover of Elle magazine, she has appeared This curvy stunner has continued to wow the in fashion spreads in Harper’s Bazaar and walked for modelling world. She has repped Maybelline New York Witchery and Alex Perry. Beattie has also fronted and is an ambassador for Bras N Things. Atkinson has campaigns for Ford and One Teaspoon. appeared in countless editorial spreads for Harper’s Bazaar.

“And they seem smaller. They used to be sort of got up and went off to explore. I was showing up and seeing so many other girls. much bigger, I’m sure.” supposed to be gone for a few months but it They weren’t using me and I was standing in a All that said, Macpherson believes home is ended up being 35 years, so things didn’t go line all day, not doing anything. So I just left. where the heart is, and she’s equally at home in exactly to plan.” “My agent was furious and was like, ‘How more than one place. The plan was to come home to go to law could you do that?’ When we meet, her heart is firmly here in school but instead Macpherson landed a “I didn’t think they needed me; on a stunningly warm late winter’s modelling job while in New York in 1981. I walked off the job, and it was a big afternoon, after she’s spent the day shopping in job. I didn’t know what I was Paddington and filming in Randwick. doing.” Macpherson admits she’s in a reflective mood A few days on, when she arrives back in ver the next few years, she rocketed Naive she might have lately. Perhaps it’s that her 18-year-old son Flynn Miami and is reunited with husband Jeffrey to the top of the business and been but her striking beauty is now older than she was when she set off on a Soffer, son Flynn and her youngest Aurelius, 13, became one of the “Magnificent and fresh look three-month trip to America after school, and that will feel more homely than anywhere else. Seven”, the original crop of overshadowed those stumbled into modelling. But the devoted mum is bracing herself for a megastar models, alongside Linda early missteps. TV Or maybe it’s that her initial steps into her big change. OEvangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy commercials and high- fifties, the next phase of her life — a new era of “Flynn is moving from Miami to Boston (for Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen profile photo shoots saw her growth and evolution — have felt a lot like university) and it’s like, wow. I’m dreading it,” and Claudia Schiffer. rise to fame as the ultimate “going through puberty again”. Macpherson admits. Getting there proved to be quite a bumpy girl next door. The Body, as she came to be known in the “I can’t imagine what my mother felt when I journey, Macpherson recalls. Not everyone was industry, suddenly breaks into a rendition of left at 17. It was just normal though — kids just “Someone recently sent me footage of me convinced the 183cm Aussie Peter Allen’s famed anthem to his homeland. when I had just started out and it’s quite funny. could carve a serious career, “No matter how far or how wide I roam …” “I’ve got really dark hair and bangs, a thick however. Macpherson, 52, sings, beaming her famous accent … I was asked how I felt about finding “Someone quite well smile, “I still call Australia home.” success in America. I replied: ‘Oh, I don’t think known once told me that She’s roamed far in her life, with stints living Don’t try to I’m going to be a model. It’s just an experience.’ brown-eyed girls never got on in London, New York and now Miami, plus I was so dismissive of it all.” the cover of a magazine,” she travel to just about every major city on Earth. Macpherson’s casual approach to work says. “It really affected me at “Australia will always be home to me,” she be too thin. initially earned her a bit of a reputation for being the time. I didn’t even try says. “I love being here and seeing my friends unprofessional. In reality, she was more blase because of that. I just thought, With husband and family. I miss so much. I usually race straight than diva. ‘Oh well, they only like blue- Jeff Soffer. to a corner shop to buy a Paddle Pop the Strong is the “It’s an industry you need to take seriously, eyed girls in this world.” moment I’m back. I like the banana ones but but I didn’t. I didn’t take myself seriously. they don’t seem to make them any more. new sexy “I remember one shoot, very early on, CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

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As it turned out, the editors of the biggest fashion titles in the world loved her. Macpherson has graced the front of just about every magazine there is, often several times over. But while the fashion world adored her, the overwhelmed model felt like an impostor. “In America or when I’d go to Europe for work, the other girls had such great fashion Elle with son sense and I had no clue. I didn’t read fashion “You Flynn Busson. mags growing up. I didn’t have Vogue; National have got to Geographic was my monthly read. see behind the “I felt out of my depth. That’s what pulled me numbers and towards doing more bathing suits and active stuff popularity. What’s the value of that? Can it — I didn’t know anything about fashion. convert to something tangible? I have an online “As I got older, I did more branding and, business and the conversion rate from clicks to later, business. That’s what I had an sales is a very important matrix for us. Similarly, understanding for.” someone with a lot of followers … doesn’t Elle Macpherson Inc is now a major, necessarily convert into sales.” multimillion-dollar corporate entity and its Reflecting on her remarkable life so far, many ventures have included workout videos, Macpherson says a friend recently pointed out lingerie, cosmetics, fashion lines, healthcare her tendency to laugh all the time. It’s a trait she products and TV production. “I’m still working puts down to feeling fulfilled. today and it’s because I’ve evolved and adapted “I’m doing lots of different things, I’m to the circumstances of the business, and that’s exploring, I’m creating and I’m working, I’m what makes longevity in a career.” active and I’m healthy. I love my children and Macpherson says modelling now compared I love my husband. Things are good. to 35 years ago couldn’t be more different. “I’m not saying it’s easy. Not at all. I have Social media has had a significant impact, good days and bad days, good weeks and bad particularly the photo-sharing app Instagram, weeks, great months and tougher moments, just which seems to produce a new “personality” like everyone else. Things are complicated every other day. sometimes, especially when you’re changing, “That’s an interesting development,” she says, growing and evolving. I’ve discovered that somewhat sceptically. “You can have two million never stops. It’s like going through puberty followers, but who are they? They could be truck again — it’s not always comfortable!” drivers from Ohio — not that there’s anything ELLE MACPHERSON APPEARS ON wrong with truck drivers from Ohio. But are they AUSTRALIA’S NEXT TOP MODEL ON going to buy your beauty or fashion products? TUESDAY, 7.30PM, FOX8. Elle Macpherson in Paddington. Picture: Phil Hillyard

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