PR.com (Allison Kugel): As an executive producer for Fashion Star, what was your role in creating the concept for the show?

Elle Macpherson: Co-creating and producing Fashion Star with Ben Silverman and the guys from Electus (Ben Silverman's production company), Five by Five Media, and NBC has been a brilliant experience. It's the first time that a fashion related show has come to network TV. In the past, fashion has been confined to cable. Fashion Star is big and glossy, but at the same time quite approachable. It's also a new concept, because the viewers at home can buy the clothes, immediately, at the end of each episode or directly from retailers: Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M. Fashion Star is just as much about the shopping as the fashion, and everyone loves to shop!

PR.com: Will you, Jessica Simpson and Nicole Richie be wearing the contestants’ designs on the show?

Elle Macpherson: No. The contestants' designs will be shown on the runway in a fun, entertaining and exciting way.

PR.com: In the past, fashion has been presented as an exclusionary club. You had to be a certain height, a certain weight, and you even had to have a certain budget to be able to afford much of the designer clothing. Would you say that a show like Fashion Star makes fashion more inclusive and attainable to people of different shapes, sizes and budgets?

Elle Macpherson: Fashion Star is different from other design competitions in that its goal is to make clothes that are specifically designed for the public to buy immediately. I believe Fashion Star is about everyday clothes for everyday women who want to look spectacular. Anyone who tunes in to Fashion Star will be really surprised that they'll be able to buy fashion for different shapes and sizes and budgets.

PR.com: How was working on Fashion Star with Nicole Richie and Jessica Simpson, who are two successful designers in their own right?

Elle Macpherson: I loved working with Nicole, Jessica and John [Varvatos]. They mentored the young designers with such grace. They brought their many years of experience to the contestants, and the star quality of their critique and guidance is undeniable.

click to read interview with Elle Macpherson