Candice Swanepoel, the South African supermodel who captured the world’s attention as a Victoria’s Secret Angel, has built a life beyond the runway that is rich with love and purpose. While her professional achievements include gracing the covers of countless international Vogue editions and walking for luxury houses like Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana, her personal journey has been shaped by a long-term relationship and her most cherished role yet: being a mom. Discover the story of her family, the names of her two young sons, and the co-parenting dynamic she shares with her former partner.
From a ballet-dancing “farm girl” discovered at a flea market at age 15 to one of the highest-paid models in the world, Candice’s life has been a whirlwind of glamour and success. Yet, amidst the fantasy bras and global ad campaigns, she has cultivated a private world centered around her kids. Though her romantic relationship with her children’s father has ended, the family they created continues to be her top priority, and she navigates the challenges of motherhood with the same grace and strength she exhibits on the catwalk.
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Family Life and Co-parenting
Candice Swanepoel was in a long-term relationship with Brazilian model Hermann Nicoli. The couple’s love story began in Paris when Candice was just 17 years old, while her boyfriend Hermann was 23. Their connection was immediate, and they dated for nearly a decade before getting engaged in August 2015. At the time, Candice, who never embraced Hermann as her husband, expressed that their decade together felt like a marriage even without the formal papers. Together, they welcomed two sons, Anacan and Ariel, who became the center of their world.
The couple’s relationship, however, came to an end. They acrimoniously split in November 2018, not long after the birth of their second child. Despite their separation, Candice and Hermann have been committed to co-parenting their two boys. Candice has embraced motherhood with a passionate and devoted heart, often sharing glimpses of her life as a mom on social media. After confirming she was single in a 2019 Instagram Q&A, she has focused on raising her little ones, splitting her time between New York City and Brazil to facilitate their co-parenting arrangement.
Meet Candice’s Two Sons
Candice Swanepoel’s two boys, Anacan and Ariel, are her greatest joy, and she often gushes about their distinct personalities.
Anacan, whose name holds a special cultural significance, was born on October 5, 2016. Now 9 years old, his name is an indigenous word from Brazil’s Amazon region, a nod to his father’s heritage. Candice has explained that it was the first name both she and Hermann liked. She has described Anacan as an “amazing big brother” who is constantly kissing his younger sibling. He even joined his mom for a Gap campaign supporting Every Mother Counts when he was just a baby, giving the world an early look at her life as a working mother.
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His younger brother, Ariel, was born on June 19, 2018, and is now 6 years old. Candice has shared that having two children under the age of two was “pretty intense” but “amazing,” largely thanks to Ariel’s sunny disposition. She has called him “the happiest baby you’ll ever meet” and her “little lion boy.” On his fourth birthday, she celebrated him as being “so cool, so strong, so carefree, funny and loving.” Both boys recently shared a special moment with their supermodel mom, joining her for a Vogue winter 2025 photoshoot—an experience Candice lovingly captioned “Mother & SUNs.”
While her path to motherhood included its share of personal challenges, Candice Swanepoel has clearly found her greatest strength and purpose in raising her two boys. Her journey shows that even for a global supermodel, the most rewarding role doesn’t happen on a runway, but at home.
