Denise Bidot Says Feeling ‘Seen’ by the SI Swimsuit Team on Set in Jamaica Was Life-Changing

The 2025 rookie posed for Yu Tsai in Jamaica.

Denise Bidot was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

For Denise Bidot, modeling has always been about more than just posing in front of a camera (which, to be fair, she’s a total natural at). For the 38-year-old, it’s about breaking barriers and showing up as her most authentic self. But during her SI Swimsuit shoot in Jamaica, something different happened. For the first time in a long time, she felt completely seen.

Denise Bidot was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Swim Like A Mermaid. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

“I was so scared, and every single swimsuit that [stylists Margot Zamet and Liz Wentworth] made me try on, I felt more and more beautiful,” she tells SI Swimsuit while at the brand’s inaugural Social Club in Manhattan in May. “And I was like, ‘Wait, you see me, you get me.’ Being seen is everything.”

Bidot made her rookie debut this year after manifesting a spot in the magazine for four years.

Denise Bidot was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Sydney Page. Sunglasses by VADA. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

“Four years into wanting to be in SI [Swimsuit], I made it,” she adds proudly. The moment was one she had long visualized, but the emotional weight of it surprised her. From the stylists to the production team, Bidot says the energy on set made her feel supported, confident and wholly herself.

As someone who’s spent her career fighting for inclusion in an industry that has often excluded bodies like hers, that kind of acceptance was deeply validating.

“Our shoot in Jamaica—I’ll remember it for the rest of my life,” she shares. “They say SI [Swimsuit] family for a reason—it is that. The girls are also supportive.”

Denise Bidot was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by ERES. Earrings by Julietta. Bracelets by Ben-Amun and Alexis Bittar. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Though she’s modeled for years, Bidot says the warmth and energy on set in Jamaica made this experience stand out. “Every shot, you get more and more confident and more and more comfortable,” she explains. “As a rookie, you walk in there and you don’t know what to expect.”

Having longtime friend and makeup artist Jodi on set added another special, emotional layer to the day.

“She came to my hotel room and we just like jumped around and cried… you feel like this comfort and this warmth,” Bidot continues. “That was the beginning of just the most amazing day on the planet.”

Denise Bidot was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Significant Other. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

In an industry where true acceptance can feel rare, Bidot says the SI Swimsuit team has created something extraordinary.

“I couldn’t imagine a better team on the entire planet. It is such a big platform, you know, such an iconic magazine. They have such good humans working for them,” she says. “You don’t see that [everywhere]. You work these big jobs, and there’s always someone who’s got a little bit of an attitude or an energy that’s a little funky. That is just not the case here. And that is why this magazine is so special.”

Denise Bidot photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by SIR. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated