Ashley Graham’s SI Swimsuit Shoot in Nevis Was the Definition of “Glorious,” and These 5 Photos Prove It

All of the swimwear looks from this shoot are begging to be added to your 2025 vacation mood board.

Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by PEIXOTO. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Trying to decide which of Ashley Graham’s SI Swimsuit photo shoots is the best is an impossible task because—spoiler alert—every shoot this model does is the best!

Still, her 2018 feature with SI Swimsuit has a special place in our hearts, as the model was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis while striking some seriously sultry poses in the Caribbean ocean. Plus, the bikinis and one-pieces she wore for this shoot are the perfect source of inspiration for your vacation vibes mood board (yes, even seven years later!), proving that taking fashion risks never goes out of style.

With this in mind, here are five of our all-time favorite snapshots from this incredible photo shoot:

Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Ola Vida. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

First, we have a classic string bikini moment courtesy of Ola Vida. Worn in an eye-popping shade that was basically Baywatch red, the two-piece complemented the model marvelously.

Her casual pose also added to the overall relaxed feel of the snapshot, with Graham perfectly balanced on a log in a way only a true SI Swimsuit professional could.

Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by PEIXOTO. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Which makes perfect sense, as her photo shoot in Nevis was the third consecutive time this prolific model had graced the SI Swimsuit fold, with her previous two shoots taking place in Turks & Caicos in 2016 and Fiji in 2017, respectively.

And all of that experience certainly comes in handy when posing in a daring swimsuit like this yellow one-piece by PEIXOTO. Given its design and open front, it would’ve been easy for a model to opt for a simpler pose for coverage, but that’s just not how Graham does things! And if anyone knows that to be true about this passionate size-inclusion advocate, it’s her fans.

Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Indah Clothing. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

“My fans and I have a very special connection, and I feel like we do because I look at them all as my brothers and sisters,” Graham told SI Swimsuit while on the set in Nevis. “And so I’ve always taken this job and this role as not only a model, but an activist and a role model not lightly at all.”

And her fans remain grateful, as the model has blessed us with all kinds of breathtaking beach-ready looks to admire over the years—like this intricate one-piece by Indah Clothing, for example.

Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Salty Mermaid. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Another example would be this burnt orange bikini by Salty Mermaid, which Graham showed off while lounging in the sun-soaked sand, giving her fans plenty of jaw-dropping looks to try and emulate each summer.

Continuing her comments on why she and her fans understand each other so well, the model noted in the same interview, “[It’s] because I know what it takes to finally find the hope and the confidence within yourself to do what you want to do.”

Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by INC Swim. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

And there’s no denying that Graham and her fans continue to inspire each other to try new things and have fun doing so. Whether it be performing on Broadway in a beloved show or modeling a unique vertical red and white striped bikini by INC Swim, Graham has shown her fans time and time again that you should never be afraid to take a risk.

After all: no guts, no glory—and what was Graham’s Nevis photo shoot if not the very definition of “glorious?!”

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