Ilona Maher’s Bright Red Swimwear Showcases This SI Swimsuit Staple Style

The two-time brand model displayed her first poolside look of 2026 to Instagram on Sunday.

Ilona Maher / John Parra/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated

Ilona Maher is bringing the the heat to our Instagram feeds this snowy season. The two-time SI Swimsuit model—who graced its digital cover in September 2024, before heading to Bermuda for the 2025 print issue—showcased a classic swimwear style to the app on Sunday, Jan. 12. Like us, the internet is also in awe.

In the singular frame to her 5.4. million followers, Maher posed on a leopard print lounge chair and modeled a cherry red one-piece swimsuit. The scoop neck number hugged the Olympic rugby player’s frame and featured a high-leg cut. She completed the ensemble, which she appeared to rep poolside, with oversized aviators that featured a crimson sheen on its lenses.

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“Try me,” Maher wrote as the caption to the commanding, colorful frame. In its background played Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red,” which nodded to the cherry shade of her one-piece suit. Celebrities and fellow fans of the multihyphenate put their stamps of approval on Maher’s look in the post’s comments—including fellow SI Swimsuit model Lauren Chan.

“yeaaaahahaaaa!!” Chan, a three-time SI Swimsuit model, cheered under the fellow brand staple’s post. Chan also posed in Bermuda for the 2025 issue, and ultimately scored a cover spot following her time on set. Additionally, after the magazine released in May, she linked up with Maher in Miami, where both models shared the catwalk during SI Swimsuit’s annual Runway Show.

“Ooh La La,” Chelsea Handler exclaimed.

One fan declared, “ICONIC! 🔥🔥🔥;” while another user agreed, and separately penned, “Put this on the cover of a magazine... 💃.”

More SI Swimsuit models rep classic red suits

Red one-piece suits have been a beloved staple style in the magazine for years, and Maher’s post proves that they are not going anywhere in 2026. Check out more models who joined Maher in SI Swimsuit's latest issue, and how they’ve previously styled the suit with the magazine.

2025: Eileen Gu in Boca Raton

Eileen Gu was photographed by Ben Horton at The Boca Raton. Swimsuit by Norma Kamali. / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

Gu, a fellow Olympic athlete, donned this Norma Kamali number on set in Boca Raton for her first SI Swimsuit shoot.

2024: Camille Kostek in Portugal

Camille Kostek was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Hunza G. Earrings by Peace Diamonds. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Kostek donned this textured Hunza G one-piece in Portugal for the magazine’s 2024 issue. That same year, the former cover model was declared an SI Swimsuit Legend.

2023: Brooks Nader in the Dominican Republic

Brooks Nader was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Matthew Bruch. Bracelets by Noir provided by New York Vintage. Earrings by Electric Picks x Brooks Nader. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Nader, a fellow SI Swimsuit Legend, wore this Matthew Bruch suit for her cover shoot with the brand when she scored her first front page spot on the SI Swimsuit Issue in 2023.

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