Michelle Lee (model)
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Michelle Leslie (born 1981), who previously worked under the name Michelle Lee, is an Australian former
model A model is an informative representation of an object, person, or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin , . Models can be divided in ...
. Leslie worked as a
catwalk A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons. This is where ...
model in 2000, working for stores including David Jones. That same year, she was a finalist on the television series '' Search for a Supermodel'' and the runner-up for Miss World Australia. In 2005, Leslie was arrested in
Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...
after police reported discovering two
ecstasy Ecstasy most often refers to: * Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness * Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria * Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand o ...
tablets in her handbag. She was convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Upon returning to Australia, Leslie stated police had planted the drugs in her bag and then demanded a
US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
25,000 bribe to avoid going to prison, which she could not afford to pay. While in custody, Leslie dressed in Islamic clothing, stating she did so to shield herself from both the media and sexual assault from corrections officers. The decision faced a backlash from some Muslims, who accused her of using
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
as a stunt to gain the court's favour. Leslie's arrest and her choice of clothing in custody resulted in considerable attention from the Australian media. After returning to Australia, Leslie travelled to Cambodia to help raise money for local orphanages. She returned to the catwalk in Australia in 2006, but struggled to find regular work as a model following the publicity from her arrest. In 2007, she launched a line of clothing for dogs, and the following year, began a career as an interior designer.


Early career

Michelle Leslie was born in
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
,
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
, to Albert and Violeta Leslie. Violeta was a nurse and one of 12 siblings born in the Philippines. Albert played for the Australian basketball team, and met Violeta while on a layover in the Philippines before travelling to the Olympics. Violeta emigrated to Australia, and Albert went on to become an assistant coach to the
Adelaide 36ers The Adelaide 36ers are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers are the only team in the league representing the state of South Australia and are based in the state's capital of Adela ...
. A self-confessed
tomboy A tomboy is a girl or young woman who generally expresses masculine traits. Such traits may include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and engaging in activities and behaviors traditionally associated with boys or men. Origins The w ...
when young, Leslie was educated at
Sacred Heart College, Adelaide Sacred Heart College is an independent Catholic secondary school, located in the Adelaide beachside suburb of Somerton Park, South Australia and in the suburb of Mitchell Park, in South Australia, Australia. Focused on teaching in the Marist ...
, and became interested in modelling only after her father gave her a course at a modelling school as a 15th birthday present. She enjoyed it enough to undertake a second course, and shortly thereafter left school in order to pursue a full-time modelling career. She soon emerged as one of the "most prominent catwalk and catalogue models" in Adelaide, working for stores such as David Jones,
Harris Scarfe Harris Scarfe is an Australian retailer that sells bed linen, kitchenware, homewares, electrical appliances and apparel. It was founded in 1849 in Adelaide, South Australia and has more than 50 stores nationally. In 2015, ownership of Harris Sc ...
and
Myer Myer (stylised MYER) is an Australian mid-range to upscale department store. It trades in all Australian states and one of Australia's two self-governing territories. Myer retails a broad range of products across women's, men's, and child ...
. In 2000, she appeared as one of the 20 finalists in the first series of the Australian '' Search for a Supermodel'' reality show, and was first runner-up in the 2000 Miss World Australia pageant held in Darwin. She was "catapulted on to the international catwalk" when
Asian Australian Asian Australians are Australians of Asian ancestry, including Naturalization, naturalised Australians who are Immigration to Australia, immigrants from various regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants. At the 2021 Australian census, 2 ...
models became in demand. As a result, she gained work within Asia, appearing under the name "Michelle Lee". She also moved to New York temporarily in 2003 for modelling opportunities. Off the catwalks she gained prominence as one of the two models involved in a 2004 advertising campaign for Antz Pantz underwear and, prior to this, as the face of the Crystelle lingerie brand.


Arrest and trial

On 21 August 2005, Leslie was travelling in a vehicle to an open-air dance party at Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park on the Indonesian island of
Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...
. Police stopped the vehicle and reported discovering two pills in Leslie's handbag. Forensic tests subsequently found the pills to be the drug
ecstasy Ecstasy most often refers to: * Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness * Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria * Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand o ...
. Urine tests conducted at the time of her arrest showed no evidence of the use of the drug; a later blood test found traces of
amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from Alpha and beta carbon, alpha-methylphenethylamine, methylphenethylamine) is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, an ...
s. According to Indonesian police, Leslie stated the pills were given to her by a friend, "Mia". Mia was later revealed to be Nameera Azmaan, who was also a model based in Singapore and working for Chic Management, the same agency Leslie worked for. Leslie denied making the allegation, and Azmaan also denied any involvement. Leslie denied other statements attributed to her by police reports, including that she had been taking ecstasy for a year and could not enjoy parties without it. Police reports also stated she declared her religion as Christianity upon her arrest. According to Balinese newspapers, Leslie was arrested while in the company of a son of the then Coordinating Minister for the Economy
Aburizal Bakrie Aburizal Bakrie (born 15 November 1946) is an Indonesian politician and a prominent businessman, widely recognized for his success with the Bakrie Group conglomerate. From 2004 to 2005, Bakrie served as Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for ...
and two unidentified men, one said to be the son of a man with "strong influence in the law and justice system". Police gave "vague and contradicting" reports regarding who Leslie was with when she was arrested, with media alleging this was an attempt to protect their identities. Leslie was one of five people arrested by police during their raid that night; according to Leslie's lawyers, two of the people arrested quickly bribed their way out of any further trouble. The incident marked the third arrest of Australians in Bali on drugs charges in twelve months following the
Schapelle Corby Schapelle Leigh Corby (born 10 July 1977) is an Australian woman who was convicted of drug smuggling, smuggling cannabis into Indonesia. She spent nine years imprisoned on the Indonesian island of Bali in Kerobokan Prison. Since her arrest, Cor ...
and
Bali Nine The Bali Nine were a group of nine Australians convicted for attempting to drug smuggling, smuggle of heroin out of Indonesia in April 2005. The heroin was valued at around 4 million and was bound for Australia. Ringleaders Andrew Chan ( ...
cases, and resulted in considerable media attention. Her arrest prompted then Australian Foreign Affairs Minister
Alexander Downer Alexander John Gosse Downer (born 9 September 1951) is an Australian former politician and diplomat who was leader of the Liberal Party from 1994 to 1995, Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 2007, and High Commissioner to the United Ki ...
to warn Australians about the dangers of drug possession while travelling in Asia, and led then
Australian Prime Minister The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister is the chair of the Cabinet of Australia and thus the head of the federal executive government. Under the principles of responsibl ...
John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. His eleven-year tenure as prime min ...
to comment that Australians caught with drugs "can't expect the Government to bail them out." In October 2005, it was reported that Leslie's lawyers had provided a report from a Sydney doctor stating that Leslie was addicted to prescription medication. Under Indonesian law this would allow her to be tried as a "user"; the maximum sentence for a user is three months' imprisonment, whereas the maximum penalty for possession is 15 years. Leslie was tried in the Denpasar District Court, and was found guilty of using a prohibited substance on 18 November. She was ordered to pay court costs and sentenced to three months in jail but, due to the three months already spent in custody, was freed from
Kerobokan Prison Kerobokan Penitentiary Institution (, also known as LP Kerobokan, Kerobokan Prison or Hotel K) is a prison located in Kerobokan, Badung Regency, on the Indonesian island of Bali. Located 4 km (2.49 miles) away from the Canggu village, the ...
on 19 November. She was
deported Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people by a state from its Sovereignty, sovereign territory. The actual definition changes depending on the place and context, and it also changes over time. A person who has been deported or ...
from the country due to her conviction. Leslie flew out of Bali to Singapore, where she spent time with friends and family before returning to Sydney.


Return to Australia

Professor Catharine Lumby, then head of media studies at the
University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...
, said many Australians would have sympathy for Leslie, and predicted she would be highly sought out by companies for modelling after returning to Australia, as she would be perceived as a "cult figure". Leslie declined to sell her story upon her return to Australia, on the grounds she believed she would face further criticism for profiting from the ordeal. She instead gave unpaid interviews to ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
'' and ''
New Idea ''New Idea'' is a long-running Australian weekly magazine aimed at women, now published by Are Media. History The magazine was first published in 1902 by Fitchett Bros. The founder was Thomas Shaw Fitchett. It was subtitled A Women's Home Journal ...
'', the latter of whom donated money to a Cambodian orphanage she was raising funds for; Leslie received an AU$70,000 payment from ''New Idea'' for an interview while she was still in prison prior to being convicted. In the ''60 Minutes'' interview, Leslie professed her innocence, noting that she had been detained for several minutes at the police road block and would have had plenty of time to better conceal or throw away two ecstasy tablets. She instead freely gave her handbag to police on request, whom she accused of planting the drugs and then demanding a US$25,000 bribe to make the charges disappear. Leslie believes police targeted her on the belief she was wealthy and well connected because she was a model; her parents had to mortgage their home to help pay her legal fees, which came close to AU$300,000. Leslie states police tampered with her blood to make it test positive for drugs in front of her and her lawyer, and mocked her when she protested. Her lawyer subsequently advised her to plead guilty, saying that such tactics were commonly used by police in Bali and she would likely spend 15 years in prison if she maintained her innocence.


Conversion to Islam

During her incarceration, Leslie announced through a spokesman that she had converted to the
Islamic faith Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, includ ...
eighteen months prior to her arrest. Leslie chose to wear a
burqa A burqa or burka (; ) is an enveloping outer garment worn by some Muslim women which fully covers the body and the face. Also known as a chadaree (; ) or chaadar (Dari: چادر) in Afghanistan, or a ''paranja'' (; ; ) in Central Asia, the Ara ...
on one occasion when she appeared in court, and opted to wear Islamic dress, such as a
hijab Hijab (, ) refers to head coverings worn by Women in Islam, Muslim women. Similar to the mitpaḥat/tichel or Snood (headgear), snood worn by religious married Jewish women, certain Christian head covering, headcoverings worn by some Christian w ...
, until she was released. Her conversion and choice of dress sparked debate among Australian Muslims, some of whom accused her of using Islam as a stunt to gain the court's favour. Her lawyer offered an apology to any Muslims who were offended, saying that Leslie had worn the clothes to avoid unwanted attention from the prison guards and journalists. Professor Tim Lindsey, then director of the Asian Law Centre at the
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
, stated that wearing Islamic clothing would make no sense as a legal defence, as Indonesian prisons were full of "Muslims convicted by Muslims". Criticism also emerged when she was seen wearing tight-fitting clothing on her departure from the prison. After her release Leslie stated she had no regrets regarding how she conducted herself in prison, though apologised for any offence caused by wearing the burqa. The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils initially stated they had no problem with Leslie being a Muslim; their president Ameer Ali recommended that she refrain from returning to her former career as "a model for lingerie and underwear" after returning to Australia, as such behaviour was "not allowed in Islam". In the ''60 Minutes'' interview, Leslie stated she wore Islamic clothing because she was afraid of being sexually assaulted by male prison guards, and to protect herself when she faced the media. When asked if she had even been a Muslim, she replied "Yeah, but I don't really know what makes you or not makes you a Muslim. I'm not a practising Muslim, no." Following the ''60 Minutes'' interview, Leslie's former friend Norah Cullen told journalists Leslie fabricated the story about being a Muslim, and only wore the burqa to conceal her face from the media. Cullen, a Muslim herself, had previously told journalists Leslie's conversion to Islam was genuine.


Later career

Upon her return to Australia, Leslie left her then modelling agency, Chic Management, to sign with Max Markson. Shortly thereafter she travelled to Cambodia to help raise money for the charity Krousar Thmey, meeting with King Norodom Sihamoni and spending time in local orphanages. Leslie arrived back in Australia shortly before
Australian Fashion Week Australian Fashion Week is an annual fashion industry event, or fashion week, showcasing the latest seasonal collections from Australian designers. Fashion weeks take place all around the world and often have a big influence on the trends t ...
, and returned to the catwalk there for the first time in April 2006, modelling
swimwear A swimsuit is an item of clothing designed to be worn by people engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, diving and surfing, or sun-orientated activities, such as sun bathing. Different types and styles may be worn ...
for designer Michael Azzollini. Leslie had several modelling jobs after returning to Australia, but struggled to find steady work as a model. In 2007, she launched a range of clothing for dogs, "Miyow & Barkley". Working with her friend Traci Griffith, they experienced early success when their first range of clothing and accessories sold out shortly after being launched. In 2008, she launched an interior design business, Michelle Leslie Studio. Leslie spent much of 2020 and 2021 in Hawaii doing interior design and renovating for a luxury home owned by
John Singleton John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for ...
. In 2023, she was hired to do interior design for a $15.8 million property owned by Singleton in Killcare Heights, New South Wales.


Personal life

In September 2003, Leslie began a relationship with Scott Sutton, heir to the Suttons Holden chain of
Holden Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. Founded in Adelaide, it was an automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter that sold cars under its own marque in Australia. It was ...
dealerships in Sydney. Leslie separated from Sutton in July 2007, and began dating magazine publisher Adam Zammit the following month. Leslie and Zammit were married in New Zealand in October 2012, but separated two years later. In October 2016 she met singer
Daniel Johns Daniel Paul Johns (born 22 April 1979) is an Australian musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the Lead vocalist, frontman, guitarist, and main songwriter of the Rock music, rock band Silverchair. Johns is also one half of The Dissociat ...
via a mutual friend. Following months of media speculation as to whether they were dating, the couple went public with their relationship in July 2017. The couple split in 2019. Leslie is known for keeping her personal life private. She had her first child at 42 though declined to reveal the identify of the child's father to the media.


References


External links


Michelle Leslie Studio official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leslie, Michelle Australian female criminals Australian female models People from Adelaide Foreign nationals imprisoned in Indonesia Australian people imprisoned abroad Australian interior designers Australian people of Filipino descent 1981 births Living people People educated at Sacred Heart College (Adelaide)