Cover Model Brooks Nader Shares the Memorable Advice She Got From a Fellow SI Swim Legend

The six-time brand star has carried the valuable information with her throughout her career.

Christie Brinkley and Brooks Nader / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

SI Swimsuit Legend Brooks Nader is a true franchise stalwart, and her story to stardom a super special one. The Swim Search alumnus, who applied to the open casting call in 2019 has posed for the brand each year since her debut, and has traveled everywhere from Bali to Montenegro to the Dominican Republic with the franchise over the past six years. For the special 2024 issue, that marked the 60th anniversary of the publication this May, the 27-year-old posed for Yu Tsai in Mexico, in addition to a super special and memorable feature alongside 26 other brand icons.

During the studio photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla. Nader reunited with three-time cover star and modeling industry favorite Christie Brinkley, who changed the Baton Rouge native’s life and career trajectory several years ago.

During her casting call interview in ’19, it donned upon Nader that she might never get the opportunity to “be this close to Christie Brinkley and or talk to her or see her ever again in my life,” so she asked the age old question: what is your best advice?

“[Brinkley said] ‘Show up with a smile on your face. Show up on time. Be nice to everybody. It’s not easy. You will be in two degree weather in a bikini. You’ll have bad conditions, you’ll be tired, you’ll be jet-lagged, but always have a smile on your face. Always work extremely hard and always be grateful,’” the 2023 cover girl recalled. “I was like ‘that’s all I need.’ And, to this day [Brinkley] is never not smiling. She’s always on time. She’s always hard working. And, that’s probably why—besides being drop dead gorgeous—she has gotten so far in her life and career. I took [that advice] with me forever.”

Today, the 70-year-old model is still dominating in the industry and adapting to all the ways modeling has changed through social media over the years. The mom of three uses her platform to inspire other women, and is a constant reminder that age is just a number.