As Elle Macpherson turns 60, she reflects on her return to the catwalk, the value of self-care and the beauty of being yourself
WORDS: EVE MACDONALD PHOTOS: GETTY, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
ROLE MODEL
When Elle Macpherson turned 50, she suddenly began to struggle with her health, and it marked a huge turning point in her life.
“I hit a wall,” the supermodel recalls of the moment she realised she needed to start taking better care of herself. “At 50, I actually began to notice how run-down I felt.”
But now, a matter of weeks before her 60th birthday on 29 March, Elle has graced the catwalk for the first time in over a decade. Taking part in the Melbourne Fashion Festival 2024, and marking 14 years since she last hit the runway, Elle had never looked better, proving that age really is just a number.
“This is just an evolution,” she said of the appearance. “I’ve come to understand it’s not wise to be like anyone else. You have to be your actual self and that’s what I’ll be now. I’ll be walking my true self down the runway.
“What people find attractive and charismatic is our individuality, and I think it’s critical that people nurture their individuality and be comfortable in it.”
Rewinding 10 years, however, Elle confessed to struggling with her changing body, saying she didn’t “recognise” what she saw in the mirror any more.
“I wasn’t feeling like myself and I was struggling with sleep, my skin was dry and dull, my hair was brittle and I felt unmotivated,” she said. “I used to think I was healthy because I could survive on three hours of sleep and snack on coffee... In people’s eyes, I suspect I still looked great, but I didn’t feel great.”
So what has changed as Elle begins this new era?
“I go to bed with a smile. I go to bed with a happy heart. And an eye mask. No clothes!” she laughed.
Her secret to staying youthful these days is down to adopting an entirely new wellness routine in a bid to take better care of herself. Cutting out caffeine, eating her last meal at 5pm and settling for nothing less than eight hours of sleep a night are all non-negotiables for the star as she enters her seventh decade.
With such a zen night-time routine, it’s not surprising to learn that Elle’s daily rituals also centre around health and wellness. The first thing she does when her alarm goes off at 5am, Elle reveals, is to “smile”. She reaches for a refreshing water and lime, before dedicating 25 minutes to med
