She was born with an inherited depigmentation of her skin from head to toe that can lead to discrimination and even death. Hopa uses a magnifying glass to read, is not allowed to drive, and shuns stilettos. So her first jaunt down a catwalk was something of a miracle.
"It's one of the most beautiful pictures I've had taken," says Hopa, though it took years for her to grow comfortable with a bare face, her pale eyebrows almost invisible.
"I was much younger then. I could never go out without make-up... But as time goes on, your confidence just grows," she says. "It took years for me to get to a point where I could walk around without make-up."
But after crossing paths with designer Gert-Johan Coetzee in downtown Johannesburg in 2012, she began thinking differently.
"Gert came to me and asked me if I would like to do a shoot and I said I
would consider it," recalls Hopa. "And then I spoke to my sister. And
my sister said to me, 'Don't look at modelling as modelling. Look at it
as an opportunity for you to actually change perception of albinism.
Remember how you grew up. Remember how people really treated you.'"
The third born in a family of four children, her youngest sibling was also born with albinism. Hopa grew up with seemingly little to complain about, doted on by a filmmaker mother and an engineer father who never missed a chance to tell her she was "the most beautiful little girl".
The third born in a family of four children, her youngest sibling was also born with albinism. Hopa grew up with seemingly little to complain about, doted on by a filmmaker mother and an engineer father who never missed a chance to tell her she was "the most beautiful little girl".
But even in South Africa, where reports of albinos being murdered and
their organs trafficked are extremely rare, she encountered prejudice
and misunderstanding.
Strangers hugged her as a symbol of good luck, others spat to fight her
bad luck. Teachers misread her poor eyesight -– a side effect of
albinism –- as her being mentally challenged.
"The dress was gorgeous –- black and green. I can tell you, I have never felt so expensive in my life, she said in regards to her first modelling job on the runway.
But I was actually so scared because in essence that was the first time I really walked in heels. I was even saying a little prayer when I was walking, 'God, please don't let me fall on this catwalk!' I was absolutely frightened."
"I came crying, and I said, 'Why am I not like other children? Everybody
makes fun of me and I have to wear these stupid hats, and I always have
to put on sun cream.' And I was crying and crying.
"And you know, my father is a wonderful man, but he doesn't really know
how to deal very well with emotions. So he looked at me, and said, 'My
child, let me be honest with you: when you were born, I was also
shocked!'"
It's a memory she can laugh at now she's 25 and confident.
Source: AFP
0 comments :
Post a Comment