‘Sports Illustrated’ Swimsuit Issue Features First Nude Photo Series to Celebrate #MeToo

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Instagram
Instagram: @si_swimsuit
Daniel Nussbaum

Sports Illustrated magazine is set to honor the ongoing #MeToo movement in its annual Swimsuit issue this year by featuring its first-ever nude photograph collection.

The photo series — dubbed “In Her Own Words” — features models including Sailor Brinkley Cook, Robyn Lawley and Paulina Porizkova posing nude with various words written across their bodies in black marker.

According to a preview of the issue from SI, the models chose the phrases scrawled on their bodies and the positions they were photographed in, with the shoot entirely conducted by an all-female crew.

The models were reportedly photographed by Taylor Ballantyne and the shoot is set to be the subject of a television special airing on Sports Illustrated TV next week, when the issue will also be published.

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I couldn’t be more excited that today the @si_swimsuit project IN HER OWN WORDS (IHOW) that I and an insanely group of talented women have been working on for almost a year finally came out!!!! This is just a teaser!!! So much more of this to come. The unbelievable crew, to you I am so grateful, couldn’t have done a single day of this without you – @marymguthrie @robynlawley @sailorbrinkleycook @campbellritchie @frankelfresh @avarikki @justinewarwick @joannagiunta @alyssaconroy – you helped bring this thing to life. @mj_day and @si_swimsuit I couldn’t have dreamed of a better platform for this. MJ thank you for believing in me, trusting my creative and pushing me to make this the best it could possibly be. I’m humbled, honored and grateful beyond my own words. WE DID IT!!!! #OWNIT #IHOW @paulinaporizkov Thank you to @vanityfair @goodmorningamerica and of course @si_swimsuit swim daily for the amazing coverage and articles this morning!

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“It was really special to be a part of this and get to express myself in a very raw, uncensored way,” Cook, daughter of former SI Swimsuit model Christie Brinkley, said of her experience. “Having these words written all over your naked body and having that next level of exposure — I felt sexy obviously but I felt more emotional and it helped me accept myself.”

Each of the models chose words that felt personal for them; Lawley opted for the words “Mother” and “Nurturer,” among others, while Cook chose “Artist” and Porizkova wrote “Truth.”

“It’s even more naked than naked. I wanted to say that I’m not ashamed of my body and you shouldn’t be ashamed of your body, no matter what age you are,” Porizkova told SI. “We all want to live according to our own truths. We want to be true to ourselves so truth is what matters more than anything.”

In an interview with Vanity Fair to discuss the coming issue, SI editor M.J. Day told the outlet that she is “thrilled” with the movement and with the way the “In Her Own Words” shoot ultimately turned out.

“These are sexy photos. At the end of the day, we’re always going to be sexy, no matter what is happening. We’re Sports Illustrated Swimsuit,” Day told Vanity Fair. “The ideal is to create something artful, to create a beautiful image that both the subject and the team is proud of and collaborates on together.”

The 2018 Swimsuit issue will also reportedly retain its usual styling, with photo shoots featuring women on beaches modeling the latest swimwear fashion.

The 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition goes on sale Tuesday, February 13.

 

Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum

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