LW Babe Katelyn Barkhuizen

Introducing Katelyn Barkhuizen as our featured LW Babe of the Week. Get to know the sexy fashion designer, who loves life in a bikini, while scrolling through her latest photo-set.

Full name: Katelyn Barkhuizen

Nickname: Miss KTB

Age: 24

Hometown: Centurion

Day job: Fashion designer

Likes: Olives and down to earth, kind people.

Dislikes: Back stabbers, liars and dishonest people, oh and peas.

Special talents: Singing and dancing

How would you best introduce Katelyn to our readers?
I like to think I’m down to earth, I believe in keeping your feet on the ground and your head out the clouds, although dreaming is a good thing. Shy at first but once you get to know me you’ll see a whole different side of me. I’m a girl who doesn’t believe in the option of giving up. A hustler and entrepreneur, always on the move trying to find what to do next and how to improve myself or things I do. I am a complete perfectionist but I guess at the end of the day that’s what sells my brand. I believe fully in everything happens for a reason. I’m fun and bubbly but when you catch me on a bad day it’s probably not a pretty sight. I am a kind gentle soul but if you hurt me or disrespect me that’s when you see the scorpio side of me.

What drives you?
I would say life drives me. Everyday we get a chance to be better and that’s already a blessing in itself. Making a name for myself has also always driven me as well as being able to make enough money to travel the world, it’s always been a dream of mine and to become the next Coco Channel of the 21st Century.

How would you best sum up the year 2020?
So I wouldn’t say it’s been all bad, if anything so far it’s been a really good year, I’ve made over 2000 masks and still counting. I have learnt a lot during this lock down and pandemic. I have realised ways in which I can finally move forward with my brand and go online. I think Covid was good in someways to some people as I feel like we all found a little part of ourselves again.

What have you found has been the best way to help deal with the current new-normal?
I would say keeping fit and healthy, being grateful to still be on the earth and experience what we are experiencing, I mean past generations experienced World Wars so something was bound to happen, we couldn’t have it that easy. I believe the world had to recalibrate in someway or another. Yoga and meditation has also always helped me through tough times it’s something I would highly recommend.

What part of normality are you looking forward to getting back to once this is all over?
I would say probably having the freedom to do what you want when you want. Seeing friends and not having to worry about anything and going onto booking.com and booking a last minute trip to Cape Town or abroad.

What does a day in the life of Katelyn usually consist of?
I wake up at around 6am, usually try fit in a yoga session. Have a cup of coffee and try get through my messages, which I am usually very bad at (it is something I am trying to work on) but there’s only so much a person can do in a day, and I find that our phones and social media distract us from what is actually important. I then usually gym or go for a walk with my mom and our dogs. I start work at around 9am, people think making dresses or modelling is easy but it’s really not. It’s long hours and constant dedication to finishing a product or helping someone else sell their products. I usually finish work at around 6:30pm, lately with the masks it’s been past midnight but you gotta do what you gotta do. I then still continue to work at home, whether it be cutting fabrics, posting on social media or replying to messages and DMs (that all takes up quite a lot of time) I then usually eat at around 7pm (try to be healthy as possible) then I continue with messages. I get into bed around 9pm every night, I try get to read at least a few pages of a book. I then meditate and go to bed.

Give us some insight into your Instagram handle (@the_girl_in_the_bikini)?
So my mom came up with my Insta handle about five years ago. I was always in a bikini and I guess my bum became my selling point when Instagram was still a big thing. I now try use it as a platform to inspire girls to be a better version of themselves, not this fake world we are so used to seeing. I try be as real as I can be, especially on my stories.

Life is better in a bikini because…?
Well why wouldn’t it be?! Beach, sea, salty hair and sun – all the things which make me happy.

Tell us something most people don’t know about you?
Hmm thats a tough one, I would say people don’t really know the journey it has taken to get to where I am today. The tears, the heart ache, the rejection but at the end of the day it is what has made me who I am today.

If you could play the lead role in any movie, which would it be and why?
Dear john, because who wouldn’t want to have a beautiful love story like that.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?
I see myself running my successful online clothing business as well as a beautiful couture brand, which is built on quality, attention to detail and perfection in bringing out a girl’s beautiful personality through a garment. Hopefully by then I will also be shipping internationally and still doing quite a bit of traveling.

What do you enjoy most about the experience of being in front of the camera?
The best part is always seeing the outcome, same as making a dress. I enjoy shoots because I get to be me and do what I love and have always dreamed of doing. I get to meet amazing people as well as making a lot of contacts in the fashion industry which had also helped me become the designer and model I am today.