Penny Lane Reveals She’s ‘In Love,’ Shares Best Dating Advice

The two-time SI Swimsuit model opened up about her new relationship, dating philosophy and enjoying single life.
Penny Lane
Penny Lane / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated

Penny Lane is glowing—and it’s not just the summer sun. The SI Swimsuit star confirmed she’s off the market and totally smitten.

“It’s fairly new,” she tells the brand during the SI Swimsuit Social Club in New York City last month. “I’m in love.”

While the England native didn’t reveal too many details about her new relationship, she did share a bit about their first date—and her mindset going into it. “He took me to an omakase, an amazing experience. It was a six-seat kind of thing, really intimate,” she recalls. “It was back in October, and I was really making him wait.”

That patience, the 30-year-old says, is exactly what she recommends when it comes to dating: “Make them wait—until you think it’s too much. Really push that limit. They’ll show you if they’re husband material.”

Penny Lane
Penny Lane / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated

The certified holistic health coach added that being “friends first” is also very smart and helpful when it comes to knowing if you want to commit to a person. “When someone has to prove themselves to you, I think they respect you more,” she adds.

Though Lane is now happily coupled up, she says being single should never be underestimated. “Being single is so fun,” she says. “If you have a good single life, it takes a lot for someone to change [that]. They really have to prove themselves, because being single is great.”

And, of course, her new special someone has to know how lucky he is to be dating the Penny Lane—two-time SI Swimsuit model and Swim Search open casting call co-winner. She shares that he loved her photos from Switzerland this year, where she posed for Derek Kettela in Zurich for the 2025 magazine.

“He was like, ‘Yeah, you look so amazing.’ He was just so happy for me. It was so cute. It was really sweet.”

Penny Lane was photographed by Derek Kettela in Switzerland.
Penny Lane was photographed by Derek Kettela in Switzerland. Swimsuit by With Jéan. Jacket by Ronny Kobo. Boots by HAVVA. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

And when she invited him to launch week events to celebrate the release of the magazine, his response made an even bigger impression. “I said, ‘You should come,’ and he said, ‘You have to do your thing. Shine. I’ll see you after.’”

That kind of support and respect seems to be exactly what Lane was looking for. She’s clear about her intentions when it comes to love and dating: “I wanna be wifey,” she continues. “I’m not looking around for anything else.”

Lane made her debut with the brand in 2024 and posed for Ben Watts in Portugal. This weekend, she nailed her catwalk moment at SI Swimsuit‘s Runway Show at Swim Week. Read more here.

Meet Your 2025 Cover Models. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1747104711/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jv3rwf0a6ny4gg213c.jpg. View Penny Lane‘s 2025 Gallery. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746851263/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtw75qrm7cye3ndvtw.jpg. More Penny Lane. Penny Lane Content. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746851267/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtw75qyw6695n8reqn.jpg


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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.