Swimsuit

Brooks Nader Brings Power, Poise and Personality to Anticipated ‘Maxim’ Cover

The supermodel and reality TV star opened up about the modeling industry in the glamorous new feature.

Ananya Panchal

Brooks Nader
Brooks Nader / Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Brooks Nader is entering her powerhouse era, and it’s a “dream come true.”

The cover

The 28-year-old graced the cover of Maxim’s September/October 2025 issue, a highly coveted moment for any model. She wore a plunging white satin romper from Victoria’s Secret, styled to perfection with one strap draped off the shoulder for that sultry effect. Her glowing bronzed glam, tousled supermodel bun and signature confidence completed the powerful shot, which was photographed in a studio under moody, cinematic lighting.

The cover’s headline read “Brooks Nader Fashion’s Next Icon.” And with good reason.

Behind the scenes

Nader gave fans a behind the scenes look at the shoot earlier this summer on Love Thy Nader, the new Freeform and Hulu reality show she stars in alongside her three younger sisters: Sarah Jane, Mary Holland and Grace Ann. In one episode, she opened up about why the Maxim issue felt like such a big deal—especially as it coincides with the most important month in fashion and New York Fashion Week.

She also mentioned what she considers the trifecta for models building careers in Manhattan: landing a spot in SI Swimsuit, a Maxim cover and working with Victoria’s Secret.

The Maxim shoot was photographed by Gilles Bensimon, styled by Karin Agstam, with glam by makeup artist Angie Mar and hairstylist Erickson Arrunategui.

The Baton Rouge native first made her mark with SI Swimsuit in 2019, when she won the Swim Search open casting call. Since then, she’s appeared in seven consecutive issues, earned a solo cover in 2023, posed as one of the 2024 SI Swimsuit Legends and shot this year’s feature with photographer Ben Watts in Bermuda.

The story

Brooks Nader
Brooks Nader / Cristian Lopez/Getty Images

Inside the feature, the Baton Rouge native reflected on her childhood, modeling career and reality series. “For the majority of our childhood, my dad was working for a non-profit and my mom was at home with the babies,” she said. “We didn’t have a lot of money, we really just had each other and had to be self-entertaining. I wouldn’t trade that upbringing for the world.”

Though she grew up in a “conservative” household, Nader recalled sneaking off to read fashion magazines at the grocery store. “I always wanted to express myself, and I wanted to look sexy,” she explained. “I fantasized about living in L.A. or New York, but it seemed worlds away.”

She earned a full scholarship to Tulane University but followed a new path after meeting a modeling scout. The risk paid off. Nader worked odd jobs in New York while building her portfolio and eventually got her break when she auditioned for the SI Swimsuit open casting call.

“They said, ‘No, we don’t think you have the status. We don’t think you fit their mold at all,’” she said of her former agents. Still, she booked a flight, stood in line with 10,000 others and landed a spot in the magazine. “Then five years later, I made it onto the cover,” she added. “I think people really started to take me seriously then. And yes, I did send a signed copy over to my former agents, too.”

From SI Swimsuit to Dancing With the Stars to her own Hulu series, Nader’s path has been anything but traditional. “You can’t wait for other people—it’s all up to you. You have to put in the work, go do it, and see the vision for yourself,” she finished, and she’s teaching her siblings to have the same mentality and work ethic.

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Ananya Panchal
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.

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