“Former Mrs South Africa Joani Jacobs is using her experience in pageantry, modelling and business to explore the relationship between beauty, confidence and self-worth in her new book, Crowned in Confidence. Published by Sunday Times on 26 September 2026, the story examines how Jacobs believes women can separate their personal value from appearance, public approval and the expectations associated with the beauty industry.”
South Africa’s beauty and fashion landscape is often associated with glamour, modelling, pageants, cosmetics, photography and carefully produced public images. Yet a new conversation is emerging around what beauty means beyond appearances. On September 26, 2026, Sunday Times published a feature on Joani Jacobs, a former Mrs South Africa, entrepreneur, modelling executive and author whose new book, Crowned in Confidence, examines confidence and self-worth from the perspective of someone who has spent decades working in an industry where appearance is highly visible.
Jacobs has a long-standing connection with the South African pageant and modelling industries. She founded Ace Models in 2005, won the Mrs South Africa title in 2009 and subsequently became the chief executive of the organisation. According to the Sunday Times profile, her modelling business has expanded from its original academy into an operation with more than 30 franchises. Her professional journey has therefore placed her at the intersection of beauty, fashion, business and personal development for many years.
Her latest book adds another dimension to that career. Rather than presenting a crown simply as a symbol of physical beauty or competition, Jacobs uses her experiences to discuss the importance of developing confidence that does not depend entirely on external approval. In the interview, she argues that women can easily connect their value to appearance, achievement, other people’s opinions or social recognition. Her message is that personal worth should not depend on those changing factors.
That perspective is particularly relevant to the modern beauty industry. Social media has transformed the way people encounter fashion and beauty. Instagram, TikTok and other platforms allow users to see thousands of carefully constructed images every day. Makeup techniques, cosmetic procedures, filters, hairstyles, skincare routines and fashion trends can become part of an almost continuous stream of visual comparison.
For consumers, this environment can make beauty feel both more accessible and more demanding. A person can discover a new makeup technique in seconds, follow international beauty creators and purchase products online without leaving home. At the same time, constant exposure to edited or highly produced images can influence expectations about what people believe they should look like.
Jacobs’ argument, as reported by Sunday Times, is not that women should stop caring about appearance. Instead, she distinguishes between enjoying beauty and believing that something about one’s natural appearance is inherently inadequate. She suggests that styling, makeup and other forms of enhancement can be expressions of confidence, provided they are not driven entirely by insecurity or pressure to conform to an external standard.
This distinction has become an important part of contemporary beauty culture. The industry has increasingly expanded beyond traditional definitions of attractiveness. Brands now market products for different skin tones, hair textures, ages and personal styles. Similarly, fashion and pageantry organisations are increasingly discussing individuality, confidence and representation alongside conventional glamour.
Jacobs says her own organisation has moved in this broader direction. The Sunday Times reports that Mrs South Africa has been repositioned under her leadership as more than a conventional beauty pageant, with an emphasis on commercial development and programmes intended to support women. The organisation’s approach, according to the article, includes personal development, public speaking and life skills, while Jacobs says contestants are not restricted by height or weight requirements.
Her experience also illustrates how beauty competitions can function as professional platforms. Pageants can provide contestants with exposure, networking opportunities, sponsorship relationships and experience in public speaking. For some participants, the visibility associated with a title can become a pathway into television, modelling, entrepreneurship, advocacy or other professional fields.
The article points to several examples associated with Jacobs’ organisations. According to the Sunday Times, South Africa has produced two Mrs World winners during her leadership, including Tshego Gaelae, who became the first Black woman to win the international title in its then 40-year history. The profile also notes that Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, who began at the Ace Models academy at the age of 12, later became Miss South Africa and Miss Universe.
These achievements demonstrate another side of the beauty industry: talent development. While audiences often see the final photographs, runway appearances or television moments, successful participation can require preparation in communication, presentation, discipline, media engagement and professional relationships.
Jacobs describes pageantry as a learning environment that helped her develop skills that she believes were not necessarily taught in a traditional university setting. Public speaking, dealing with clients, working with sponsors and entering unfamiliar environments are among the experiences she associates with the industry.
The conversation becomes especially significant when beauty is considered alongside ageing. Beauty marketing has historically placed substantial emphasis on youth, but consumers are increasingly questioning the idea that women must maintain a particular appearance indefinitely. Jacobs discusses changes that come with age and acknowledges that confidence can fluctuate. Rather than presenting confidence as something permanently achieved after winning a crown, her message recognises that self-confidence can require continual development.
This is an important distinction for modern beauty journalism. Beauty stories frequently focus on products, treatments, trends and celebrity appearances, but the industry also shapes conversations about identity. When a person changes their hairstyle, applies makeup, follows a skincare routine or chooses a particular fashion style, the decision can involve creativity and self-expression as much as appearance.
At the same time, consumers need to distinguish between personal choice and commercial pressure. The beauty market is built around products and services designed to encourage people to purchase, experiment and change aspects of their appearance. Advertising can be inspiring, but consumers can also benefit from considering whether a beauty decision reflects personal preference or pressure created by comparison.
Jacobs’ reflections place confidence at the centre of that discussion. Her perspective suggests that beauty should complement identity rather than define it. A crown, dress, makeup look or professional achievement may attract attention, but none of those things permanently determines a person’s value.
Her story also highlights the changing role of women in the fashion and beauty business. Jacobs is not only presented as a former pageant contestant. She is also an executive, entrepreneur, modelling professional and author. Her career demonstrates how people who enter the beauty industry can eventually move into ownership, management, mentorship and business development.
The publication of Crowned in Confidence therefore extends Jacobs’ professional journey from the stage into publishing. The book provides an opportunity for her to document experiences that include modelling, pageantry, business, motherhood and personal challenges. Rather than focusing solely on the visible achievements associated with crowns and titles, the project places attention on the less visible work involved in developing resilience and confidence.
For South Africa’s beauty and fashion audience, the story arrives at a time when conversations about authenticity are becoming increasingly prominent. Consumers are exposed to international trends while simultaneously seeking local representation. South African models, designers, beauty entrepreneurs and pageant contestants continue to participate in a global industry while bringing their own cultural experiences and perspectives.
The future of beauty will therefore likely involve more than traditional ideas of glamour. It will include conversations about representation, confidence, entrepreneurship, individuality, ageing, digital culture and the relationship between appearance and identity.
Jacobs’ message, as presented in the Sunday Times interview, fits into that wider conversation. Her experience shows that the visibility associated with beauty can become a platform for professional development, but she argues that external recognition should not become the foundation of self-worth.
Ultimately, the story is less about a crown itself and more about what happens after the spotlight moves away. Pageant titles have defined periods, fashion trends change and beauty standards evolve. Confidence, personal development and the ability to understand one’s own value can become longer-term assets.
For Jacobs, the most important crown is therefore not necessarily the one awarded on a stage. Her book presents the idea that personal confidence is something that belongs to the individual and cannot be permanently granted or removed by judges, audiences, social media followers or changing beauty standards.
As South Africa’s fashion and beauty industries continue to evolve, that distinction provides an important perspective. Beauty can remain a form of creativity, fashion can remain a form of expression, and pageantry can remain a platform for achievement, while women are also encouraged to define themselves through qualities that extend beyond appearance.
