Christie Brinkley poses nude under a giant palm leaf for Social Life Magazine

SI Staff | Jul 23, 2017

Gian Andrea Di Stefano

This post was written by Kaitlyn Frey and originally appeared on People.com.

Christie Brinkley‘s supermodel status is unparalleled. The 63-year-old star, who has appeared on the front of more than 500 magazines (three of which were her back-to-back-to-back Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers) is experiencing a career resurgence, continuing to model with and without her clothes. She also seems to be aging in reverse.

The supermodel’s latest gig? Christie covers the July 21 issue of Social Life Magazine with a teased and tousled Brigitte Bardot-like’60s hairstyle. But the real head-turning (and jaw-dropping) photos are in the star’s spread inside the magazine.

In her cover story Christie bares it all, posing completely nude on the beach, but maintaining some modesty by covering herself up with just one large palm leaf by L’Atelier Rouge.

In the rest of the shoot, Brinkley kept herself a bit more covered up, but still showed off her killer body in high-rise bodysuit, a sequin cutout gown, a classic white one piece and more. The mom of three (Alexa, Sailor and Jack) isn’t a stranger to dropping the robe and showing some skin during her shoots — she even posed alongside her two daughters in a skimpy black bikini in 2017’s SI Swimsuit issue.

#https://instagram.com/p/BWtMqEPlh4M/

Besides walking away with some seriously memorable shots after each time she’s appeared in Sports Illustrated, Christie once took away something else: a passion for elephants, which led her to work with the organization Hands Off Our Elephants.

“We were looking for elephants to be in the background of our Sports Illustrated Swimsuit pictures, when we suddenly broke through some bushes and I found myself eye to eye with a surprised and angry mother protecting her baby,” the supermodel told Social Life Magazine. “She raised her trunk and trumpeted a warning! If I had large ears, I would have flapped them back at her [but] we clapped our car doors to show that we meant business too!”

Since Christie's close encounter during one of her SI shoots, the star became passionate about protecting the endangered species. “We were two moms willing to die to protect our babies,” she told the magazine. “I knew from that day forward I would always love and try to do my part to protect this matriarchal society of loving, intelligent, majestic animals.”

Christie Brinkley will host the 6th Annual St. Barth Hamptons Gala, presented by Social Life and St. Barth Tourism, on Saturday July 22nd, benefitting the Bridgehampton Historical Museum.

BONUS: See all of Christie's incredible photos from SI Swimsuit 2017!

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Monica Hansen Beachwear.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Bao Tranchi.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Monica Hansen Beachwear.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Mia Marcelle.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Mia Marcelle.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Bao Tranchi.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Monica Hansen Beachwear.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Monica Hansen Beachwear.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Bao Tranchi.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Mia Marcelle.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley & Alexa Ray Joel were photographed by Emmanuelle Hauguel in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuits by Sauvage Swimwear by Elizabeth Southwood and BOUND + TIDE by Mitchell Kass.