In Focus | Tess Alexander

Presenter, Model & Wellness Advocate

Tess Alexander gained notoriety after winning Miss World Australia. Now a presenter, brand ambassador, public speaker and health professional, Tess’ career has propelled into far more than a coveted beauty queen.

Landing her first international modelling contract at the age of 17, Tess has worked in every corner of the globe, modelling for brands such as Vogue, Valentino, and Fendi.

After 10 years of working in the media, Tess turned her lived experiences into lessons and began a career in health and wellness, studying areas of fitness, nutrition, and holistic health.

How would you describe your personal style?

I would describe my personal style as Elegantly Fashion Forward. I like being quite bold and current, but I will always soften my look with some pearls or a neutral shoe. I wore a floral boiler suit from Zimmerman recently, which sums me up perfectly!

As a model who has been working Internationally for some of the best luxury fashion houses in the world for close to a decade, how have your views on beauty and health evolved over the last five years?

I’ve been so lucky to work with the most amazing industry leaders and in their presence, I have learnt and grown a lot! What I have come to realise is that the constant search for perfection is paralysing! It stops us from becoming alight with passion and creativity! If we are always so focused on perfection it strips us from all the quirks that make us unique. Imagine if Karl Lagerfeld squashed his creativity?!

Work hard, show up, over deliver, be dedicated and know your worth, but don’t let the fear of something not being “perfect” stop you from doing the thing.

Work hard, show up, over deliver, be dedicated and know your worth, but don’t let the fear of something not being “perfect” stop you from doing the thing.

How did you develop the ‘TenWithTess’ concept and what does it involve?

When I was quite young, I moved overseas and was fully immersed in the Fashion Industry. I came home to Australia armed with a lot of knowledge that I thought was very industry specific. As I began my career in Wellness, I soon discovered that my experience lent itself far more to simply being a woman… and Ten With Tess was born.

TWT is a live health and wellness seminar designed to break down the fads, look at the science behind the latest "musts" and discuss all thing Health, Wellness, Luxury and Beauty with leading health specialists and celebrities we all know and love. In today’s landscape, we know that health isn’t a one size fits all approach, and TWT gives the audience an opportunity to interact with a live tutorial and, I love it!

What health, nutrition and wellness advice and tips would you give brides to be during their wedding planning journey?

The weight of expectations when preparing for a wedding is a lot.

Hear me when I say, YOU ARE PHENOMINAL JUST AS YOU ARE!

How ever you choose to get ready for your big day, remember your central pillar for everything you’re preparing for is love; love for you partner AND love for yourself. If you’re adding new elements into your health and wellness regime, do it with excitement and pride, not necessity. You are already radiant! Your perspective is one of the most important tools in your wedding arsenal, and in the sage words of Ru Paul, “If you can’t love yourself, how are you going to love somebody else?”

You’re currently a TV presenter and Brand Ambassador. What are some of your favourite brands to work with? You work alongside Moët & Chandon, What are some of the key matches our readers can incorporate into their own weddings or intimate events?

To me, being a presenter means I’m connecting the audience to what is sometimes hundreds of years of brand history and I love that! I’m currently the brand ambassador for QueensPlaza, home to Australian designers and LVHM, so It’s pretty special to have lived the fashion life through images and now get to be the voice, too.

Weddings are all about celebration, and celebration to me IS Moët & Chandon. It’s the feeling, the experience… a moment!

Moët have just released the most beautiful Calligraphy en Vogue collaboration which allows you to engrave a Mini Moët, personalised for your special day. These look adorable at each place setting and a great modern twist on the traditional champagne toast to raise an engraved Mini Moët! It’s the special touches like this that I absolutely adore, such a beautiful keepsake!

Outside of your public profile, what inspires you personally and what do you incorporate into your everyday for you?

I will always be inspired by somebody who is unconditionally themselves; who in the face of adversity, stands up for what they believe. These kinds of people give us permission to be who we are, and I find that incredibly inspiring.

My work life is busy and ever-changing. A pivotal lesson for me was understanding that if I don’t manage my stress, it will manage me. That might be in the form of exercise, going for a walk, painting, meeting a friend or patting my cat!