Elle Macpherson ( ; born 29 March 1964) is an Australian model, actress, and businesswoman. She is known for her six cover appearances on Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue in the USA in the 1980s, the 1990s and once in the 2000s. Nicknamed “The Body”, she is 6'0 (1.83 m) tall. According to Forbes, she is worth around £60 million.

Early life

Macpherson was born Eleanor Nancy Gow in Cronulla, New South Wales, the daughter of Peter Gow, a former president of Sydney rugby league club, the Cronulla Sharks, but grew up in Killara, a suburb of Sydney and attended Killara High School. She is the eldest of four children; the Australian celebrity Mimi Macpherson is her sister. Her parents divorced when she was 14, and her mother later married Neil MacPherson. MacPherson then changed her surname to her stepfather's. She studied law for one year at the University of Sydney.

Rise to fame

At 17, on holiday in the United States, Macpherson was discovered by Francis Grill and signed to Click Model Management. Macpherson became a star through appearances in Elle. She appeared in every issue for six years. During this time she married (at 21) Elle creative manager Gilles Bensimon. Eventually she gained even more exposure through Sports Illustrated magazine's annual swimsuit issue. She appeared on the cover a record five times, (1986, 1987, 1988, 1994 and 2006). Her measurements (36-25-35) were the reasons for her nickname "The Body"a tag that was to become her brand. She also released a series of successful calendars and modeled for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret.

In 1986 a Time cover was entitled “The Big Elle”. The Australian government offered her a post on the tourist commission as an unofficial ambassador.

On Date: 2000-04-26, Antigua and Barbuda issued eight $1.20 postage stamps with images of Macpherson (Scott #2241)  the first time that any post office had issued stamps to honour a Super Model.

In 2001, along with fellow model Naomi Campbell, Elle was the master of ceremony of Miss Universe 2001.

Modeling career

After she was signed to Click Model Management, Macpherson appeared for the first time in Australian TV advertisements. She modelled for Sports Illustrated, Victoria's Secret, Time, Elle, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Playboy. She walked runways for Versace, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Prada and others. She was owner of the Fashion Café with fellow models Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer.

In 2008, Macpherson signed for cosmetics manufacturer Revlon in print and TV advertising.

She is now signed to New York Model Management.

Acting career

Macpherson made her movie debut playing an artist's model in the 1994 Sirens, which starred Hugh Grant, Sam Neill, Tara Fitzgerald, Kate Fischer and co-starred Portia de Rossi, as another model. Macpherson gained 9kg (20lb) and her breasts grew to 37D. She appeared in numerous nude scenes.