Elle Macpherson: ‘Beauty isn’t youth anymore’

Supermodel Elle Macpherson pens an exclusive column for Stellar, revealing what’s changed in her life since she appeared on the first cover six years ago.

Six years to the day have passed since I appeared on Stellar’s first-ever cover – photographed on Hayman Island – and being here again marks a beautiful, full-circle moment.

I remember feeling so grateful for that opportunity, for my newfound vitality and for the life I’d learnt to create.

My company, WelleCo, was a start-up then – just two years old – and we were navigating the introduction of ingestible beauty to the market. Globally, at the time, beauty was associated with youth, but I had come to learn that beauty is more strongly aligned with wellness.

We wanted to share new realisations about beauty; deeper understandings that go beyond just the surface.

We clarified beauty, reinstating its true nature as soul-deep, not just skin-deep – embracing the charisma, confidence and magnetism that makes people attractive regardless of their outer appearance. It’s the same curious, magical quality that radiates from those who are well.

In 2020, the world slowed down, stricken by fear and uncertainty, and we saw a deeper desire for wellness on a global scale. We began to recognise, value and address spiritual, mental and emotional wellness – not just physical.

Of course, this journey had its challenges on all levels in all lives. Adaptability became the key life skill.

Elle Macpherson reflects on the since she appeared on Stellar’s very first cover, six years ago. Picture: Billie Scheepers.

In the business context, I found myself embracing spontaneity, leaving behind the overly produced style that had defined my career. I hopped on “lives” and Zooms at a moment’s notice.

Relaxed, natural and willing to support our community. My boys, isolated like others, also faced challenges; attending school from their bedrooms and graduating without rite-of-passage ceremonies.

Through it all, we returned to quality over quantity in our relationships with ourselves, with those around us and with nature. Now more than ever, we wanted real connectedness – authentically meaningful, wise interactions with each other, and with ourselves.

It quickly became clear that connection is essential to wellness, and a lack thereof attracts illness. We learnt that to be well in our world requires we respect the natural environment

as well as our natural selves.

Today, initiatives like Farmer’s Footprint in Australia are cultivating the biomes to build nutrient-rich soil essential for healthy food. It’s become clear that regenerative farming is at the heart of our future. Prioritising such practices ensures we can thrive, from soil to soul, for generations to come.

I’ve also seen businesses evolve past wellbeing into welldoing, becoming cleaner and more sustainable.

In just six years, beauty and wellness have become widely acknowledged as one, embracing our relationships, businesses, resources and planet.

Elle Macpherson’s special guest column features in this Sunday’s Stellar. Picture: Damian Bennett.

Ultimately, I’ve learnt that wellness is the new beautiful, health is the new wealth, kindness is the new cool and inner peace is the new success.

May you enjoy all of it, Stellar, on your sixth anniversary.

Originally published as Elle Macpherson: ‘Beauty isn’t youth anymore’