Birthday Girl Ellie Thumann Adopted Western Flare on Set of Denim-Inspired SI Swimsuit Debut

The model and content creator’s first brand photo shoot was one for the books.

Ellie Thumann was photographed by Derek Kettela in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by OYE Swimwear. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Happy birthday to our very own Ellie Thumann!

Today, Oct. 27, the content creator and two-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model turns 23 years old—and a celebration is in order. For us, that means taking a look back at some of her incredible accomplishments over the years (and we don’t simply mean the brand photo shoots).

Thumann first broke onto the scene as a young girl when she joined her mother—a former model—for runway shows and brand campaigns. In the years since, she has worked with brands the likes of Marc Jacobs, Levi’s, Kate Spade, Reebok and Coach. In other words, she has built herself a successful career in front of the camera.

But her achievements don’t end there, either. About a decade ago, Thumann launched her own YouTube channel, where she has mastered the vlog (or video blog). Fans and followers love the Arizona native for her characteristically bubbly attitude and her everyday content—including daily outfits, activities and a behind-the-scenes look at her modeling work.

We have the perfect example of the latter. For her 2023 SI Swimsuit debut, Thumann traveled to Puerto Rico, where she posed for a stunning denim-inspired photo shoot. It was a fitting experience for the content creator, who tends to dress with a Western flare. But, more than that, it was a dream-come-true experience for her. And, in typical fashion, she documented the whole thing.

“It’s just something I’m gonna always look back on. There’s moments that you know are so far and few between where it’s like, ‘Wow. This is one of those core things that is going to define the stories I talk about one day,’ It’s insane,” Thumann said in a vlog from the trip. “I feel so utterly grateful to be here. This is just the best day of my life and there’s just nothing more to say.”

It was the memory of a lifetime for the model—and one that she had the chance to repeat in 2024, too. For her second consecutive brand feature, Thumann traveled to Mexico for a vibrant photo shoot against the verdant green backdrop of the coastal destination. Like her first photo shoot, she documented much of the experience in the form of a vlog that she shared on her YouTube channel after the fact.

In honor of her birthday, we’re taking a look back at the photo shoot that started it all. Below are some of our favorite photos from Thumann’s Puerto Rico trip.

Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Ellie Thumann was photographed by Derek Kettela in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by Matthew Bruch. Top by Denimcratic. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Ellie Thumann was photographed by Derek Kettela in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by ELSE Lingerie. Chaps by Denimcratic. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated