Living the dream in Cape Town

Johanna Swartbooi

With the fashion industry in Namibia still growing, models struggle to make a decent living on modelling gigs alone, often having to juggle multiple jobs just to get by.

This is why Johanna Swartbooi followed in the footsteps of many Namibian models before her to pursue a career beyond borders. Currently settled in Cape Town, South Africa, the long-legged beauty is already turning heads with her striking looks and booking gigs in the bustling Capetonian fashion scene.

I caught up with this multi-talented model and entrepreneur to find out what working in Cape Town has been like.

WHAT INSPIRED THE MOVE TO SOUTH AFRICA AND HOW ARE YOU FINDING THE INDUSTRY OVER THERE?

Modelling is not as lucrative in Namibia, hence I made the effort to leave the country and pursue my modelling career elsewhere. I enjoy the freedom I have to do other things with my time, which is great because I’m also a student and business owner. I love meeting new people, travelling and having new experiences because of the type of jobs I’m exposed to.

YOUR CAREER HAS GROWN STEADILY OVER THE YEARS. HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO ALWAYS STAY RELEVANT?

I’m really just living my dream right now. What has kept my brand relevant is consistency, networking and a sense of being orig (overzealous). I’ve also been quite fortunate from the beginning of my career with people being so accepting of me and what I bring to the table.

In addition, taking part in a pageant like Miss Namibia greatly elevated my brand. It exposed me on an international scale and I believe that’s how my agency scouted me. Also, being open to sharing my story with the media and on my social media platforms keeps me and my brand growing.

I’ve also been quite fortunate from the beginning of my career with people being so accepting of me and what I bring to the table.

WHAT HAS LIFE AS AN INTERNATIONAL MODEL TAUGHT YOU SO FAR?

I have learned to be more disciplined and to have better time management. I learned not to take things personally and to improve some of my other skills like cycling or running or even acting because I can be asked to do that on a commercial shoot.

16WHICH DESIGNERS AND BRANDS HAVE YOU WORKED WITH SINCE MOVING TO SA?

I’ve worked with brands like Gavin Rajah, Pick n Pay, Superbalist, Spec-Savers and McDonald’s.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU SINCE YOU BECAME A MODEL?

The most interesting story of my modelling career is the story of how I got signed. It came from a simple DM, but before that DM, I listed 20 agencies I wanted to be signed with. The Circle Model Management was one of them, and I indicated it as the most ideal one. However, I only contacted four of them but didn’t get good responses. Some didn’t even respond, until six months later while I was doing Miss Namibia. The same agency I had listed as the most ideal one I’d like to work with reached out to me. I got this DM from the agency director and at that moment I didn’t realise that this was the same agency I had listed as the one I wanted to work with the most.

WHAT ARE THE FIVE THINGS YOU WISH SOMEONE TOLD YOU BEFORE YOU BECAME A MODEL?

How to do my taxes, the fact that you’ll be working long hours, the fact that you need good acting skills for this job and that you’ll also have a lot of free time. Another thing is knowing that sometimes you’ll be put on the spot to do challenging things, like when I recently had to jump off a cliff and swim for a long time for a gig.

YOU’RE A PASSIONATE ENTREPRENEUR RUNNING A JEWELLERY BUSINESS INSPIRED BY YOUR HERITAGE. HOW DO YOU WISH TO GROW THE ‡NU/GÔA BRAND NOW THAT YOU’RE BASED IN SA?

‡Nu/Gôa Accessories is destined to one day become a household name. Our mission is to continue developing. The goal is to expand networks and to create opportunities for the brand to mature. Me being in South Africa at the moment means that the brand now has access to an international market.

WHAT DO YOU PRIORITISE TO BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY?

I pray and God carries me through every journey. I also journal about everything that I go through and how I feel. I set out a yearly vision board of what I want to achieve, then I have weekly activities that I set out to achieve to help me reach those goals. I also really love being in nature. It brings me so much peace and joy and it is my place of prayer. It really helps me settle my mind.

As she continues to live out her childhood manifestations of one day making it onto billboards and magazine covers, Johanna is combining hard work and passion to propel herself forward. She hopes to continue making her mark as a model and to continue growing her brand in Africa and beyond.

Rukee Kaakunga is a Windhoek-based Communications Specialist, Blogger and Freelance Fashion Writer. Contact her via email: rukeekaakunga@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @rukeeveni and on Instagram @rukeekaakunga.

Photography: Beaniiboy Photoworks - Luciano Siluka, Simz Khwanazi, Tereza Cervinkova, Neeltjie De Vries, Claudio Photograper, Kevin Patermann and Michael Oliver