Celebrating Model Yumi Nu’s Milestone 30th Birthday in 8 SI Swimsuit Pics

Happy birthday to 2022 SI Swimsuit Issue cover star Yumi Nu! The model and musician turns 30 today, Wednesday, Sept. 23, and to celebrate, we’re taking a look back at her work with the brand over the years.

Nu posed for her rookie SI Swimsuit Issue feature in 2021, when she was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla. Just one year later, the model’s photo shoot with James Macari in Montenegro was so impressive, she earned the cover of that year’s magazine. She rounded out her four consecutive years posing for the brand with dazzling features in Dominica (photographed by Amanda Pratt for the 2023 issue) and Belize (with photographer Derek Kettela in 2024).

At the time of her 2022 SI Swimsuit Issue feature, Nu became the first Asian-American plus-sized model to land on the cover of the magazine in the brand’s history. “It took a long time for me to really embrace being Asian and being plus-size and just who I am because that was the root of what made me feel like I wasn’t enough,” Nu stated at the time. “Having any curve is crazy. There is this shame around feeling sexy, and so with Asian-American culture, it can kind of be confusing because we have this voice in our head saying to cover up. American culture is on the opposite spectrum. It’s a tug-of-war between cultures.”

That same year, reality star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian, award-winning musician Ciara and author and dietician Maye Musk also landed their own SI Swimsuit Issue covers. At the time, Musk, then 74, set another record by becoming the oldest cover model in the brand’s history (she was then surpassed the following year by Martha Stewart, who posed for the magazine in the Dominican Republic at the age of 81).

Outside of her work with SI Swimsuit, the New Jersey native is also a musician and entrepreneur. Nu launched her clothing brand, Blueki, in 2022 and has released several EPs, most notably Hajime (2022) and BLOODY (2024). She has appeared on covers of Vogue Japan (becoming the first plus-sized model to do so the very same year she landed her SI Swimsuit cover), Teen Vogue and others. She is often a prominent presence both on the runway and off at major Fashion Week events and Nu walked the catwalk during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2025.

In honor of her career success and her special day today, we’re throwing it back to just a few of our favorite photographs of Nu over the years with SI Swimsuit.

Yumi Nu was photographed by Amanda Pratt in Dominica. Swimsuit by Bad N Bare. Earrings by Alexis Bittar. | Amanda Pratt/Sports Illustrated

Yumi Nu was photographed by James Macari in Montenegro. Swimsuit by Toluca Swim. Hat by New York Vintage. Bracelets and rings by SOKO. | James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Yumi Nu was photographed by Amanda Pratt in Dominica. Swimsuit by MATTE Collection. Sarong by Anyuta Couture. Ring by MAM. | Amanda Pratt/Sports Illustrated

Yumi Nu was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla. Swimsuit by Keva J. Earrings by 8 Other Reasons. | Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yumi Nu was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla. Swimsuit by Agua Bendita. | Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yumi Nu was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla. Swimsuit by Sidway Swim. Earrings by 8 Other Reasons. | Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

More Yumi Nu content on SI Swimsuit