Brooks Nader Brought Vegas Showgirl Energy to the Beach in This Crystal Bikini Top

The SI Swimsuit legend channeled Taylor Swift’s new album aesthetic in Bermuda earlier this year.

Brooks Nader / SI Staff

Brooks Nader has never been one to shy away from a fashion risk—and this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoot in Bermuda was no exception. Channeling her inner pop star, the supermodel glittered under the Caribbean sun in a bold, two-piece look that was a pure stage-ready spectacle.

Think Bob Mackie meets beach bombshell with a touch of Taylor Swift’s new The Life of a Showgirl album cover flair.

Brooks Nader was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by It’s Now Cool. Top by JÉBLANC. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Photographed by Ben Watts, Nader stunned in a full crystal bra from Jéblanc, the aptly named Crystal Chandelier Bralette ($1,500), which featured over 200 hand-beaded stones strung together to drape across her figure like couture jewelry. Designed with both halter and straight shoulder straps and finished with a layer of beaded fringe, the top gave instant old-Hollywood glamour—with a modern edge.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

A spotlight-worthy look, down to the last shimmer

Brooks Nader was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by It’s Now Cool. Top by JÉBLANC. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

The Baton Rouge native paired the top with The String Pant in Gunmetal ($42) from IT’S NOW COOL. The cheeky, low-rise bikini bottoms offered the perfect sleek contrast, crafted in metallic lurex fabric to catch the light with every pose. The result was a sculptural, sultry combo that blended drama, shine and main character energy—exactly the kind of look you’d expect from a seasoned SI Swimsuit veteran and Dancing With the Stars alum.

From Swim Search to showgirl status

Brooks Nader was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by It’s Now Cool. Top by JÉBLANC. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Nader was discovered through the Swim Search open casting call in 2019 and has since returned to the issue every year. The 28-year-old landed on the cover of the 2023 issue and was officially named a SI Swimsuit “Legend” after last year’s 60th anniversary group shoot alongside 26 fellow brand icons, whom she has looked up to for years.

“There’s something really special about the female relationship and how we treat our girlfriends—how they really become family to us. I’m the oldest of four sisters, and that relationship is unmatchable; I’ve never ever, ever, ever known any kind of love like that in my life,” she gushed at the time. “I’m so happy that I’m a woman and get to be around the sisterhood of SI Swimsuit and all the icons—women I used to have on my bulletin board in my room in Louisiana.”

Brooks Nader / SI Staff

Now, between her recent Maxim cover moment and her new reality series Love Thy Nader, which follows her and her three younger sisters as they navigate life in NYC, the model and entrepreneur is embracing a new kind of spotlight. And this look—a dazzling mix of pageantry and power—fit the vibe perfectly.

Styled for the stage and the sand

Brooks Nader / SI Staff

SI Swimsuit fashion editors Liz Wentworth and Margot Zamet leaned into the paradise glamour aesthetic in Bermuda, opting for bold silhouettes, beachy tousled hair and glowy bronze glam.

Nader’s honey-blonde blowout and glossy nude lip completed the look, further solidifying her role as the swimsuit world’s reigning showstopper.

---

light. Sign Up. Swim Edit newsletter. Get SI Swimsuit’s Free Newsletter

More Brooks Nader

feed