South African model and actress Bella Alexandras marked her 15th birthday this week in New York with an impressive milestone — an acceptance into Vogue Magazine’s Summer Business Fashion Internship at Condé Nast headquarters in the city.
The competitive pre-college programme offers a two-week intensive series of courses in fashion business, styling, editorial, marketing and media — with site visits and mentorship by Vogue editors and industry experts.
“This trip has actually been more educational than anything else, and I’m really serious about launching my own fashion brand one day,” Bella told the Sunday Times.
“It’s about being part of every creative and business decision. I want to know what goes into choosing fabrics, how supply chains work, how photoshoots are styled... I want to understand every stitch, every decision, every detail behind the scenes.”
Among the highlights was an encounter with Vogue’s global editorial director and former editor-in-chief. “I even got to meet Anna Wintour. It honestly doesn’t get more iconic than that,” said Bella.
“She was incredibly poised and kind. Just being in her presence, even briefly, reminded me how much impact one person can have on an industry when they have vision and discipline.”
Born in Johannesburg, Bella moved to Cape Town when she was four years old, and relocated to Portugal at the age of seven with her parents Christian and Nerissa Nellus. “The last time I was in New York, I was 10,” she recalled.
“I shot the cover of La Belle Magazine and an editorial which felt like a dream. But being back now feels even more meaningful because I’m really focused on what I want to achieve.”
Since that time, the young model has headlined worldwide campaigns, including DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld and Sonia Rykiel.
Bella said her passion for acting was inspired by watching the musical Annie at Artscape Theatre in Cape Town at the age of five. She then made her professional acting debut in 2022, in the mystery thriller The Infernal Machine produced by Paramount Pictures, and attended festival red carpets this year at Cannes and Monte Carlo.
Bella also plays the leading role of Samantha in the coming TV series I Hate Pirates, on Amazon Prime Video, followed by a music EP release titled Crush on You.
She hopes to shine a spotlight on local culture. “I’d love to produce and tell stories that show the strength and complexity of South African women; young girls who dream big and overcome, families who rise from nothing, and magical tales set against our beautiful landscapes.”
Bella’s next stop is Los Angeles. “I’m heading to LA next to work on some new songs and visuals,” she said.
“Then I’ll be in Europe again, and hopefully back in South Africa by Christmas. It’s a busy season, and I’m just so grateful. I know how rare these kinds of opportunities are, and I’m doing everything I can to make them count.”
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