Birthday Girl Alexis Ren’s Best Metallic Swimwear for SI Swimsuit

The model, entrepreneur and actress, who was named Rookie of the Year in 2018, turns 29 today.

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

Happy birthday to model and content creator Alexis Ren! The 2018 SI Swimsuit Rookie of the Year turns 29 today, and to celebrate her latest trip around the sun, we’re diving into her stunning brand photo shoot, which was captured by Yu Tsai in Aruba.

In addition to her modeling work with the likes of Versace, Victoria’s Secret Calvin Klein and Brandy Melville, Ren is also an actress who has starred in projects including Latency (2024) and The Enforcer (2022). She’s also the founder of jewelry brand Sereia, which she launched earlier this year. Ren was featured on Season 27 of Dancing With the Stars, when the California native was partnered with professional dancer (and, at the time, romantic partner) Alan Bersten. She placed fourth in the competition, which aired the same year as her SI Swimsuit debut.

Posing for the issue was something Ren had dreamed about for a long time before the opportunity actually came to fruition, and her shot in front of the lens was not one she took lightly.

“Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit] features empowering females flaunting what the universe gifted us. Female energy is something this world needs more of,” Ren told Elite Daily of working with the franchise in 2018. “I wanted my shoot to convey power, strength and love.”

The model certainly brought a beautiful energy to her photo shoot in Aruba, striking elegant poses in the sand while clad in a number of metallic swimsuits. Ren even incorporated a black corset into one shot, and made knit, thigh-high leg warmers look perfectly at home on the beach. Ant taking home Rookie of the Year honors was a longtime goal of the model’s, who was 21 at the time of her SI Swimsuit feature.

“Being Rookie of the Year has been a goal of mine since I was 13,” she added during her interview with the outlet. “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.”

Though it’s been seven years since she took home the coveted Rookie of the Year title, we’re still in awe of Ren’s 2018 SI Swimsuit Issue feature. Below, check out a few of our favorite snaps in which the model rocked metallic swimwear that shone perfectly underneath the sun in Aruba. And for more metallic swimwear inspo, courtesy of brand stars like Kim Kardashian, Ellie Thumann and Olivia Ponton, click here.

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

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

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

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

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