Ming Lee Simmons Is Breathtaking in Ab-Flaunting Yellow String Bikini for SI Swimsuit Debut

The model and content creator looked amazing on the shores of Jamaica for her SI Swimsuit debut.

Ming Lee Simmons / Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty Images

As we inch closer to the release of the 2025 issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, the brand is sharing behind the scenes teases and exclusive first looks at some of the talent who will be featured. From the incredible athletes joining the fold to well-known faces we’ll welcome back, it’s going to be another unforgettable year for the brand. In addition to returning models, the brand is also thrilled to introduce the 2025 rookies who will be making their debut this year. One of these includes Ming Lee Simmons, the eldest daughter of iconic fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons and record exec Russell Simmons.

At 25 years old, Lee Simmons is an in-demand model, having worked with prominent brands such as Tiffany and Co, UGG and SKIMS as well as designers like Alexander Wang. She’s flaunted her creativity through collaborations with brands like Wildflower Cases and works on the revived Baby Phat brand with her mother and sister Aoki. Preferring to be part of the process of a campaign or project, Lee Simmons is truly a multi-talented force to be reckoned with. “I really love when a brand that I am working with allows me to express myself,” she tells SI Swimsuit.

Posing for photographer Yu Tsai in Jamaica, we are so excited to share the first look at Lee Simmons’s debut with SI Swimsuit. The fashion icon looked positively gorgeous wearing a bright yellow string bikini from Lybethras, showing off her feminine rose tattoo on her ribs. Flaunting her toned abs, long legs and undeniable face card, she owned the shoot against the dreamy ocean and palm tree-filled backdrop. Her smolder is truly striking.

Ming Lee Simmons was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Lybethras. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

In addition to her work in the modeling and fashion industries, Lee Simmons is a body-positivity advocate, noting how difficult it can be to feel comfortable in your own skin

“Over the years I have learned that that is easier said than done because we all can feel insecure about different things about our bodies, especially as a woman with social media and outside pressures,” Lee Simmons shares. “Over the past couple of years I have struggled with severe PCOS and endometriosis. So not only has my weight fluctuated quite a bit (both up and down) but I have also had severe acne that I’ve had to deal with, and when I was 22 I got surgery for my endometriosis which left me with scars on my hips that I also used to be insecure about.”

Also having spinal fusion surgery for her scoliosis at 15, Simmons notes that she’s learned to love her scars and embrace them. “I never thought that I would be doing something like an SI Swim shoot because I never wanted to show it off,” she says. “But now it’s become one of my favorite parts about my body.”