Nicole Williams English Shares Her Favorite Look From Her SI Swimsuit Feature; It’s a Mermaidcore Dream

The 2023 rookie’s feature in Dominica was inspired by natural elements.

Cara O’Bleness | Jun 11, 2023

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Nicole Williams English, a rookie in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue, posed for this year’s magazine while seven months pregnant. In doing so, she became only the second model in the publication’s history to pose while visibly pregnant (Katrina Scott was the first last year).

Williams English, who says she manifested her feature with SI Swimsuit over the course of 20 years, has an incredible story. She and her husband, former NFL player Larry English, have been incredibly candid about their journey to parenthood, which involved IVF treatments and, eventually, announcing their pregnancy on the runway together during Miami Swim Week last summer.

Williams English traveled to Dominica for her feature this year, where she was photographed by Yu Tsai. The styling on location was inspired by Mother Nature herself, and while the Toronto native donned several ethereal looks, she says one in particular stood out as her absolute favorite.

View Nicole Williams English’s full 2023 SI Swimsuit gallery here.

“All the looks today are so amazing, but there’s this one shell bikini top that’s really, really cool,” Williams English shared while on location. “I just feel like we did like the long mermaid hair and we’re doing very like shell bikinis and very like mother of pearl bikinis. I just love all the shell textured bikinis, so I’m really, really excited to shoot those.”

The Andi Bagus two-piece Venus Bikini ($89) features a stunning top with a seashell-shaped bust and a trio of beaded pearl details, while the matching bottoms include the same design with side ties and minimal cheeky coverage.

Now proud mom to a baby girl, India Moon, Williams English was also photographed postpartum with her 6-week-old daughter to bring her SI Swimsuit feature full circle.

“I have so many things to be grateful for. I’m grateful for a healthy baby. The fact that I could be [on location in Dominica] at seven months pregnant and shoot this beautiful shoot with SI and just to be able to see myself just, you know, truly being me,” Williams English said. “I’m just so proud of how far I’ve come, and these pictures are really gonna represent that.”

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Published Jun 11, 2023

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.