Style Icon: Candice Swanepoel

by Caroline Kreul

 

I am obsessed with Candice Swanepoel. There, I said it. Ask any one of my friends and they’ll confirm my fixation with her. I sincerely believe that Candice is one of the most beautiful people to have walked the earth. Not only does she possess an angel-like face and a perfectly proportioned body, but she also commands a sense of style that is as classy as herself, one through which I am consistently inspired.

 

The supermodel was first spotted at a Durban flea market in her home country of South Africa at only 15 years old, and quickly began her modeling career. Not surprisingly, Candice soon caught the attention of fashion giant Victoria’s Secret and, in 2007, became the first South African model to walk in the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She has walked in every show since and has appeared in numerous catalogs, TV commercials and advertisements for the brand. In 2010, Candice became one of Victoria’s Secret’s signature Angels.

 

Swanepoel has since graced the covers of Portuguese, Italian, and Brazilian Vogue, German ELLE, Marie Claire and South African Cosmopolitan, just to name a few. She has also modeled for editorials for Allure, Harper’s Bazaar and W, among others. Besides her Victoria’s Secret endeavors, Candice has also been the face of campaigns for designers including Versace, Ralph Lauren, Prabal Gurung, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and Rag & Bone. She’s also walked the runway for names like Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Michael Kors.

 

Basically, she’s everywhere. And she always looks as fabulous off-set as she does on.

Candice works the red carpet like nobody else. She has a fabulous body and knows exactly how to show it off, always posing with a confidence that demands attention. She loves rocking curve-hugging dresses, often an LBD, and showing off her long, lean legs with a pair of sassy, t-strapped heels. As for make-up, Candice usually opts for a classic red or peach lip paired with a cat-eye to highlight her sky blue eyes.

On the street, Candice has a look that can only be described as the perfect blend between SoHo street style and the polished perfection of Michael Kors. She’s often seen in some sort of denim, be it a light blue pair of high-waisted shorts, a painter’s shirt, or some black skinny jeans. She sticks to neutrals like black, white and beige, but plays with textures and proportions so that none of her ensembles are drab. Her hair is almost always either slicked back into an ultra-chic ponytail, or draped away from her face for an effortless look. Candice also tends to show off her already tiny waist with a thick belt of some kind, a trick that adds the perfect amount of polish and shape to her otherwise loosely fitted outfits.

 

Candice is, in my opinion, an icon of our age. Her timeless beauty, role as muse for a plethora of designers and fashion houses, and inspiring street apparel ensure that her name and look will be highly sought after for generations to come.

Click through the gallery below to see more images of this fabulous fashionista!