Candice Susan Swanepoel (/ˈswɒnəpuːl/; Afrikaans:[svanɛˈpul];[3] born 20 October 1988) is a South African model. She is known for her work with Victoria's Secret. She became a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2010.[4] In 2016, she was listed 8th on the Forbes top-earning models list.
Swanepoel was born to Willem Swanepoel and Eileen Swanepoel (née Green) and raised on a farm in Mooi River, South Africa.[5] Swanepoel comes from an Afrikaner family of Dutch origin. She has one older brother named Stephen.[6][7] While growing up, Swanepoel was a ballet dancer. She attended boarding school at St. Anne's Diocesan College in the nearby town of Hilton.[8] At age 15, she was spotted by a model scout in a Durbanflea market.[9]
Swanepoel has appeared in editorials in American, Italian, British, Spanish, German, Greek, Russian, Australian, Brazilian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Mexican Vogue; Brazilian, British, German and South African Elle; British, South African, Romanian, Mexican and Chinese GQ; American, Spanish, Czech, Argentine, Turkish and Korean Harper's Bazaar; V, Allure, W, and i-D.[10]
In 2010, Swanepoel became a Victoria's Secret Angel. Swanepoel modeled for the Kardashians' 2010 swimwear line. On 12 August 2010, Swanepoel officially opened the first Victoria's Secret retail store in Canada, at West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton.[13] In 2013, Swanepoel was named the cover model of the coveted Victoria's Secret Swim Catalogue. Swanepoel was chosen to wear the "Fantasy Bra" in the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. The 10 million dollar bra, named the "Royal Fantasy Bra", was created by Mouawad. The bra and its matching belt featured over 4,200 precious gems, including rubies, diamonds and yellow sapphires set in 18 carat gold with a 52-carat ruby at the center.[14]
In 2018, she launched her own swimwear collection Tropic of C.[15][16]
She won Launch of the Year award at the 5th Annual Daily Front Row Awards.
Swanepoel was voted No. 61 in 2010, No. 62 in 2011, No. 75 in 2013, and No. 36 in 2015 in FHM's annual "100 Sexiest Women in the World" poll[17] and No. 1 in 2014 Maxim's "Hot 100 List".[18]
In 2019, she was honored with Revolve's Woman of the Year award. In June 2021 Swanepoel was adjudged the Numero Uno (Number 1) by N4M Media's list of Top 10 most beautiful and hottest South African Actresses and Models.[19]
Swanepoel made her debut at No. 10 on Forbes' "The World's Top-Earning Models" list, with estimated earnings of $3 million between 2010 and 2011.[20] She was ranked No. 9 in 2013 with estimated earnings of $3.3 million. In 2015, she was ranked No 8 with earnings of $5 million. In 2016, she was ranked No 8 with earnings of $7 million.
Swanepoel is fluent in Afrikaans, English, and Portuguese, the latter of which she learned from her now ex-boyfriend Hermann Nicoli, a Brazilian model.[21] They began dating after they met in Paris when she was 17 and he was 23.[22] In August 2015, the couple announced their engagement.[23] Together, they have two sons, born in October 2016 and June 2018. The couple acrimoniously split in November 2018.[24]
Swanepoel is actively involved in mothers2mothers, a charity devoted to achieving an "HIV-free generation" of children and mothers in Africa. Swanepoel has designed denims for it,[26] and in May 2019, joined the charity as a patron and their global ambassador.[27]
^Govender, Devi Sankaree (presenter); First Edit (producer) (29 May 2005). "Mooiriver magic". Carte Blanche. M-Net. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
