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Afterward, when everyone else goes home to relax, Swanepoel hits the gym for a full-body workout.
“I’m an athlete,” she says.
“I use every single muscle, especially my core and arms, when I pose.
It’s so important for me to feel strong.”
Such discipline and dedication come naturally to Swanepoel, who grew up on a beef-and-dairy farm in South Africa.
“I saw my dad wake up at 4 every morning to milk the cows.
I’d put on my overalls and gum boots and follow him around,” she says.
“Growing up surrounded by so much life and death and realness shaped my personality.
Africa is not for wussies.
It’s in our culture to be hard workers.”
And yet, despite her early success, she remembers that period in her life as difficult.
“It was the loneliness,” she says.
I just wanted to go home."
During that time, she was also told that she needed to lose weight.
“I was crying.”
By age 17, Swanepoel was ready to quit modeling altogether.
That’s when Victoria’s Secret called, and everything changed.
“My agent said, ‘They want to see you.
If you get the show, will you move to New York?’
I said, ‘If I got Victoria’s Secret, I’d doanything.'”
Top: Shots of red, white and blue kick up the energy of a sexy, athletic look.
Jacket, JC de Castelbajac Paris;JC-de-Castelbajac.comfor similar styles.
Top, VFiles Sport Plus+, $80;VFiles.com.
Dress, Peter Pilotto, $1,920; Nordstrom.
Sandals, Teva, $50;Nordstrom.com
Above: Surf or street?
Either way, a striped, stretchy bandage dress has you covered.
Dress, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, $2,186;Net-A-Porter.com
Styled by Melissa Ventosa Martin.
Hair, Dennis Devoy for Bumble and Bumble; makeup, Kristi Lee Matamoros at Kate Ryan.
Production, Select Services.
Photo Credit: Sebastian Kim
