Birthday Girl Emily Ratajkowski Was a Beach Babe in Kauai

The two-time SI Swimsuit model posed for Yu Tsai in Hawai’i in 2015.

Ananya Panchal | Jun 7, 2024

Emily Ratajkowski was photographed by Yu Tsai in Kauai, Hawai’i / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

In honor of Emily Ratajkowski’s birthday today, June 7, we’re taking a look back at some stunning, nostalgic pics from the supermodel’s early career days. The Southern California native, who is turning 33, made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2014, posing for two separate features with photographer Walter Iooss Jr. on the beaches of St. Lucia and a bold, unique, in-studio body paint feature.

The following year, she traveled to the breathtaking Hawaiian island of Kauai, and posed for talented visual artist Yu Tsai.

Today, the mom of one, who shares her young son Sylvester with her ex-husband, Sebastian Bear-McClard, is a fashion and modeling industry stalwart, an entrepreneur and an activist. She’s also the best-selling author of My Body and the host of the High Low With EmRata podcast.

“I would say that there are some things that I consider work, for example modeling. That’s how I earn my living, which is fabulous. And I adore working in fashion, since it allows me to meet so many interesting and creative people. There’s a real feeling of community that I like in the business. But my priority interests are writing and, most of all, my son—the fact of being a mother—and my family,” the Inamorata swimwear brand founder told Número magazine.

Ratajkowski is constantly using her platform to show off her glamorous life, love for travel and close relationship to her son, in addition to sharing behind the scenes snippets of her modeling gigs and speaking up for human rights issues she believes in.

Below, let‘s take a look back at some stunning photos from her sophomore SI Swimsuit feature.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Published Jun 7, 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.