Model off to New York

From competing in high school pageants to jetting off to New York, Naydene Tshepe is living her dream.

This 18-year-old young woman will be strutting her stuff for international modelling agents at the Applause Rising Talent Showcase in the USA later this month.

Naydene is a first-year college pupil who lives in Witpoortjie with her mother and sister. Life has not been easy for the model. Her parents divorced when she was three years old, leaving her mother to raise her and her two older sisters.

“It was really hard because as a child you want to have both parents in your life. At school events, I would see some children with their mothers and fathers, and my heart would ache. But those experiences helped me become stronger as a person,” she said.

Despite the hardships, Naydene says her mother has been a pillar of strength, making sure she and her siblings received an education. “My mother taught us to put our faith in God, because we are what we are through Him.”

Made fun of at school for her skinny build, Naydene sought solace in her favourite television programme America’s Next Top Model. This is where her passion for modelling awoke, and her admiration for model Tyra Banks began.

“Seeing those models working hard, gaining confidence in themselves and learning about the modelling industry really motivated me. I started becoming confident in myself and thought I could become a model too,” she said.

Naydene’s mother did not approve of her passion for modelling and wanted her to focus on her education. However, Naydene was able to keep her fire burning by participating in school beauty pageants. In her matric year, she entered the Face of Clearwater competition, and was invited to interview with the agents sponsoring the competition and talent scout Elouise van Rensburg.

She impressed them so much with her talent for modelling that she was invited to participate in the International Applause Rising Talent Showcase at Silverstar. Here she was scouted by both Kim Meyers, an international talent scout from the USA, and Elsubie Verlinden, owner of Just You Model and Artist Management, and producer of the International Applause Rising Talent Showcase. They invited Naydene to participate in the American Applause Rising Talent Showcase.

“My mother has been so supportive, which has really touched me. She has been there for me. It is such an honour to be able to represent South Africa at the showcase later this month. My goal is to meet as many agencies as I can. And who knows, I might even meet Tyra Banks,” she said

Her goals are to be on the cover of Vogue magazine, and model in the New York fashion week and Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

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