6 Jaw-Dropping Photos of Alexis Ren That Earned Her the Rookie of the Year Title

The content creator posed for Yu Tsai for the 2018 SI Swimsuit Issue.

Ananya Panchal | Aug 1, 2024

Alexis Ren was photographed by Yu Tsai in Aruba. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Alexis Ren made a splash with her SI Swimsuit feature in 2018. The model, who first rose to fame as an Instagram and Tumblr travel influencer, posed for photographer Yu Tsai in Aruba. She totally blew the team away, and secured the coveted Rookie of the Year title.

The content creator, who is the cofounder of online wellness community We Are Warriors, had an absolute blast while on location with the franchise. The Latency and The Enforcer actress showed off her dance moves and proved her skills as a classically trained ballerina. The 27-year-old, who also appeared on Dancing With the Stars that year, was even captured holding some cool, artistic and difficult positions.

“I appreciate Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit] expanding their horizons and bringing me, an influencer, on board. I know I didn’t come into this industry the same way as most girls, so it’s been a challenge for me to be accepted. I appreciate them giving me a chance,” the Santa Monica, Calif., native said. “Being Rookie of the Year has been a goal of mine since I was 13. I remember marveling over how beautifully powerful the models looked in the magazine with my mom. Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit] knows how to capture the fire in women. It’s an honor. Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit] features empowering females flaunting what the universe gifted us. Female energy is something this world needs more of. I wanted my shoot to convey power, strength and love.”

Below are six of our favorite photos from Ren’s 2018 SI Swimsuit feature in Aruba.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Published Aug 1, 2024

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.