Swimsuit

Nine Breathtaking Photos of Supermodel Paulina Porizkova in Kenya

The model and writer was photographed a total of 10 times for SI Swimsuit.

Mara Milam

Swimsuit 2019: Paulina Porizkova Intimates

Paulina Porizkova made history in 2019 when she became the oldest model to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue at the age of 55. The Czech-born supermodel, who was first photographed by Walter Iooss Jr. in 1983, had previously appeared in the magazine from 1983–’86, ’89, ’92, 2004 and for the SI Swimsuit 50th Anniversary Legends shoot in ’14. She was also invited back as a part of our female-empowerment, body-paint special which also included names like Aly Raisman, Hunter McGrady and Olivia Culpo.

Porizkova’s 2019 shoot in Kenya was a celebration of aging and body positivity. In an essay she wrote for SI Swimsuit, Porizkova stated that “by hiring me, MJ [Day] had cracked open the door to another possibility: the visible mature woman.” She continued with a joke “Or, let's just say: the hot old lady.” In all seriousness, Porizkova's feature represented the idea that beauty and sexiness come in all ages and shapes.

In 2022, Porizkova published a memoir titled No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful, which chronicles her life growing up during the Cold War in Czechoslovakia, what she experienced as a young woman modeling in Paris, her whirlwind romance with her late husband and feeling “invisible” after a certain age.

Since Porizkova’s feature, Kathy Jacobs was photographed in the issue at 57 years old in 2021, and Maye Musk graced the cover of the magazine at 74 in ’22. 

Let's take a look back at some of Porizkova's best shots from her groundbreaking 2019 photo shoot with Yu Tsai.

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Mara Milam
MARA MILAM

Mara Milam is the deputy digital editor at SI Swimsuit. The California based multimedia content producer and editor joined the “swim team” in March of 2020. Mara is a lover of all things travel and wellness and is passionate about elevating the voices and stories of people often not heard.

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