We’re Celebrating Kelsey Merritt’s Birthday With These Timeless SI Swimsuit Looks

The three-time SI Swimsuit model turns 29 on Oct. 1.

Kelsey Merritt was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

At SI Swimsuit, Kelsey Merritt rounded out the 2010s with a magnetic debut campaign and boldly began the 2020s with a duo of commanding features that we still go to for style inspiration.

So today, as the first Filipino model in the magazine rings in her 29th birthday, we’re shouting out her trio of photo shoots—along with a handful of ‘fits that we’d still pull from our closets.

Elevating basics in Great Exuma

Merritt’s consecutive three-year run with the magazine began in 2019, when she was photographed in Great Exuma with fellow rookies Winnie Harlow and Olivia Brower, and one of the issue’s cover models, Tyra Banks.

Kelsey Merritt was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas. Swimsuit by INDAH. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

The island’s turquoise waters peaked in this frame’s background, as Merritt’s mahogany waves draped over her sandy frame. Her natural beauty was undeniable, as she posed in a simple ribbed triangle bikini from INDAH.

Kelsey Merritt was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas. Top by Natalia Fedner Metal Couture / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

Then, she added some shine to her ensembles with an ultra-cropped knit tank from Natalia Fedner Metal Couture. This summer, in fact, the garment made our list of standout festival attire, inspired by former photo shoots in the fold.

Next level looks in the Dominican Republic

Merritt’s sophomore shoot “felt so easy”, the model revealed at the turn of the decade. The brown-eyed bombshell stepped foot in the Dominican Republic for a feature that captured her ethereal essence—while wearing a few ultra-trendy swimwear pieces.

Kelsey Merritt was photographed by Kate Powers in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Gigi C Bikinis. / Kate Powers/Sports Illustrated

Merritt also took animal print to the next level, five years before it became a styling staple in the magazine’s 2025 issue. Worn by cover model Olivia Dunne, who gave it her own stamp of approval—“Animal print, mix-matched animal print, like my cover, never goes out of style”—Merritt sported a duo of leopard-printed suits.

Kelsey Merritt was photographed by Kate Powers in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by TROPIC OF C. / Kate Powers/Sports Illustrated

In one ensemble, Merritt slicked back her hair to display a long-sleeved, unzipped one-piece from Gigi C Bikinis. In another, she comfortably sat on the shoreline while wearing the same print with a balconette-style top and high-legged bottoms from TROPIC OF C.

Bringing the heat to Hollywood, Fla.

In July, we highlighted Merritt’s styling for her latest appearance in the magazine as a classic, which also featured some signature summertime patterns. While this shoot is almost a half-decade old, it sure doesn’t feel like it, as she glowed on the Atlantic coast.

Kelsey Merritt was photographed by Ben Watts in Hollywood, Fla. Swimsuit by Tacoola. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

A duo of suits that we’d still gravitate towards—this black and white polka-dotted Tacoola bikini and red-hot monokini from Tropic of C. At the beach or the pool, as Merritt exhibits, these sets are sure to turn heads.

Kelsey Merritt was photographed by Ben Watts in Hollywood, Fla. Swimsuit by Tropic of C. Earrings by Alexa Leigh. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

If there’s one thing that we know about Merritt, her style—both in and outside of the fold—is sure to grab our attention, and we can’t wait to see what her 29th year has in store.

---

More Kelsey Merritt:

feed