Supermodel Elle Macpherson as interviewed by Jodhi Meares: ‘Nobody has ever asked me this’

Supermodel Elle Macpherson reveals the moment everything changed in her modelling career – as she sits down for an interview with Jodhi Meares in a Stellar exclusive.

Former model and activewear designer Jodhi Meares fulfils a childhood dream of interviewing Elle Macpherson in this exclusive cover story for Stellar, in which the supermodel and Welleco founder reflects on everything from family, fame and loneliness to music, the lessons she’s learnt, and starring in The Upside’s upcoming campaign.

Jodhi Meares: I’m so excited to interview you, Elle. I’d like to start by confessing that the day I joined Chadwick Models in 1986, I asked my booker if I could have one of your comp cards. I had it on my wall when I was 15 and I still have it in one of my many boxes filled with childhood memories. I don’t think I’ve ever told you this when I finally got to meet you in person as an adult. I’ll try to locate it to go with this piece to mark the authenticity of my excitement to have you shoot for The Upside’s upcoming campaign. You were and remain my favourite model. One more thing that you should know before we get this interview started is that my mum’s maiden name is also Macpherson, so I’m pretty sure somewhere down the line we’re actually related! Something that’s always stood out about you is how grounded you are. How have you managed to remain so authentically you?

Elle Macpherson: Thank you, but it hasn’t always been that way. When I was younger, I was always trying and wishing to be “that other girl” – if only I was shorter, blonder, blue-eyed, cuter. It was only when I leaned into my sporty, Amazonian, six-foot, fierce, Aussie courageousness that my career took off. I learnt pretty quickly that our uniqueness is our true superpower. We’re all here to express our unique inner beauty into this world – that’s where the magic happens. True blue is one of [my wellness company] WelleCo’s brand values – “true blue Australian” – [representing] quality of life, authentic, honest, deliverable; say what you mean and mean what you say. I’ve been immersed in Australian culture in my formative years and my Australian values are dear to me.

‘When I was younger, I was always trying and wishing to be THAT other girl.’ Picture: Simon Upton for Stellar

Jodhi Meares: As Australian women (though we’re both of Scottish descent), I know we share a deep love of the ocean. How do you feel that this connection with the sea has shaped you?

Elle Macpherson: I love Aussie women like you: strong, sporty, down-to-earth, raw, authentic. As a child and teenager, I swam competitively every day so it definitely shaped my body. My body structure, and consequently my silhouette, was forming through consistent practice. So it literally shaped me! The repetition of the waves and the flow of water really resonates with me. The sun and surf and Aussie lifestyle run deep in my blood and I always feel better when I’m near the ocean.

Jodhi Meares: When you look back over your extraordinary life, what decisions and bursts of wisdom stand out as poignant moments?

Elle Macpherson: I’m very grateful for my life and the extraordinary experiences I’ve had and the life lessons I’ve learnt. Through writing my book Elle [published in 2024 by Penguin and available in hardback or audiobook], I realised that life teaches us through our unique experiences; that there’s no good or bad experiences, or right or wrong decisions, as long as we learn from them. I’ve also practiced self-trust. Trust your heart and it will never lead you astray. It all works out in the end and, if it hasn’t worked out, then it’s not the end yet. I always tell my boys [Macpherson shares sons Flynn, 27, and Cy, 22, with her ex-partner, French financier Arpad Busson]: “Find what you love and do it.” That way it doesn’t feel like work, and the heart and passion you feel for whatever you’re doing is a great magnetiser of success.

Picture: Simon Upton for The Upside

Picture: Simon Upton for The Upside

Jodhi Meares: What do you do when you’re having a really crap day? Do you have any tips on how to regain your centre when everything is complete chaos? I take 20 minutes to disconnect from the things that are making me feel discombobulated, take a walking meditation and breathe.

Elle Macpherson: That’s a great practice. I love that saying “It’s never too late to start the day again.” When the boys were little and they got grumpy, we played a game where I’d literally put them back into bed – even if it was the afternoon – and they had to pretend they were asleep then get up again with a new attitude to restart their day. I think it drove them bonkers but it worked wonders. For myself, I can reset quickly with three breaths in a practice I learnt from my partner, Doyle [Bramhall II, an American guitarist, producer and songwriter]. I’ve tried lots of ways to rebalance: listening to music; doing a crazy dance; immersing myself in a nurturing activity like cooking, having a bath or gardening. What I’ve found most helpful is to withdraw energy and activity and time from thinking about what I don’t want and instead applying [it] to what I do want. Use anger and frustration to fire you up to initiating other more helpful, self-loving solutions and activities.

Jodhi Meares: What do you consider the biggest misconception about you?

Elle Macpherson: I love that quote “What other people think about me is none of my business.” It’s super helpful. But if I did contemplate your question, I think people might think: oh, it’s easy for you. But in fact it hasn’t always been easy. Over time, I’ve chosen to grow and evolve, and be more self-accepting through the difficult and challenging times.

Jodhi Meares has interviewed her idol Elle Macpherson for the latest issue of Stellar. Picture: Don Arnold/WireImage

Jodhi Meares: Is there a question you’ve never been asked but would like to be asked?

Elle Macpherson: Nobody has ever asked me if I’ve ever felt lonely and helpless – which I have, from time to time. I imagine everyone has. I believe we consciously or unconsciously create such moments so we can contemplate something that’s awaiting our attention. It’s as though life is giving us time and privacy to come to know and honour ourselves when maybe we’ve forgotten or become lost or disconnected, and we need to remedy that disconnectedness. Again, this is a perfect time to become immersed in nature and soak up the energy to get ourselves centred within again.

‘Nobody has ever asked me if I’ve ever felt lonely and helpless – which I have, from time to time.’ Picture: Jason Edwards

Picture: Jason Edwards

Jodhi Meares: Among your many personal and professional achievements, what are you most proud of?

Elle Macpherson: I can’t really say I’m proud of my sons, in that they are a credit to themselves – they can certainly be proud of themselves. I’m very grateful for the relationship we have; that they, as souls, chose me to be their mum, and I have the opportunity to be a guide for them in their lives. As men, they’re thoughtful, diligent, industrious, kind, creative – and I’ve helped influence that. I’m proud of WelleCo and our mission to help people live a beautiful, fulfilling life through being well. And I’m excited to be opening new discussions around menopause being a new beginning, as nature intended, rather than an ending to dread, as it seems to be touted these days. Traditionally, it has been recognised as a chance to rebirth into a wiser woman, filled with life’s experiences and bringing that to your community. We need it or we will continue to become lost. It’s not the years in your life that matter but the life in your years, especially as I just turned 61 and find myself living the most fulfilling, creative, vibrant, healthy time in my life.

I’d love to know your thoughts on “athleisure” becoming such a big part of women’s wardrobes. You must have seen many changes in fashion over your prolific career.

I’m a big fan of The Upside, so thank you for creating such perfectly chic and cool-girl vibes in your designs. I love comfort and personal style and The Upside embodies that effortlessly cool Aussie spirit. I appreciate that we tend to live more active lives today, which is a great foundation for wellbeing, and having an easy wardrobe that reflects this makes it easy to be active. It’s a great support for living a happy, healthy life.

Model mode! Elle on the catwalk in Melbourne last year. Picture: Jason Edwards

Picture: WireImage

‘It’s not the years in your life that matter but the life in your years.’ Elle Macpherson shares her perspective on ageing. Picture: Getty Images

Supermodel era! Elle Macpherson, right, with Elizabeth Hurley at the Vanity Fair Oscars party in the 90s. Picture: WireImage

You founded WelleCo over a decade ago as a result of your own wellness journey. Where is the future of wellness elixirs going?

Ten years ago – actually 11 [WelleCo started in 2014] – people thought I was idealistic. I was sharing how I’d discovered the importance of an alkaline, low-inflammatory, low-acidic diet, combined with quality effective supplementation, if you want to create and maintain proper health in all 11 systems of the body. When we went to market with our iconic greens, The Super Elixir – which looked like pond water but tasted fabulous – I knew its best introduction would be as a beauty product. Why? Because I knew from experience that when you’re well within, it shows in your skin. But it was such a new concept, and not easy to convey. Today, people are waking up to the power of easy, bio-absorbable supplements and supportive lifestyle changes. We continue to be the pioneers in ingestible beauty that embodies beauty from within. This excites me; I can see people are beginning to understand how important it is to nourish your body right down to the cell structure – it affects the way you look and feel in life, and what you can do and achieve. This then empowers people to live the life of their dreams. That’s why our main brand purpose [is] to remind people that “With wellness, you can.”

This question is really for me, though I’m sure everyone would like to know. Who is your favourite band, and how important is music to you?

That’s an easy one. My favourite singer and musician is Doyle, my partner. His voice inspires me and, having watched him perform hundreds of shows with both Eric Clapton and his own bands, I’ve come to appreciate the power of music in moving people – lifting their spirits and opening hearts. Music is my muse in many ways.

Thank you, Elle, for being part of The Upside’s new campaign (which launches in August). My 15-year-old self is doing the wildest happy dance in absolute reverence for this moment. You’re forever on my inspiration board.

See the full shoot and read the cover story with Elle Macpherson in Stellar today – inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and Sunday Mail (SA).

For more from Stellar, click here.

Originally published as Supermodel Elle Macpherson as interviewed by Jodhi Meares: ‘Nobody has ever asked me this’