Christie Valdiserri Stuns and Inspires in the Bright Blue Waters of Turks and Caicos

The 2020 SI Swim Search finalist felt empowered by the whole experience.

Martha Zaytoun | Dec 25, 2023

Christie Valdiserri was photographed by Yu Tsai in Turks and Caicos.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Taking to the tropical set of her 2020 SI Swimsuit photoshoot in Turks and Caicos, Christie Valdiserri felt “inspired.” She was a finalist in that year’s SI Swim Search, the annual open casting call, which gives models and other talented women the chance to be featured in the yearly issue.

She was the first model with alopecia to grace the pages of the magazine, and the opportunity to share even more of her story with the world was nothing short of empowering.

“I have absolutely no words for how I feel being on set right now for SI Swim 2020,” she said at the time of her feature with the brand. “I’m speechless, I’m so insanely grateful and empowered that someone who has lost their hair and is so scared to share it with the world is now shooting with one of the most iconic magazines in the world.”

The experience on the whole—which, we have to say, Valdiserri more than made the most of—had her feeling “grateful and grounded and inspired,” she expressed. From the look of the final photos from the trip, we get a sense of all of these emotions and more.

At the time, she told SI Swimsuit that if she had a few wishes, she would ask
“for bald women to feel normal” and “for women to be seen as strong and powerful (as they truly are).” With her stunning photoshoot, she certainly made progress in both objectives.

Here are a few gorgeous photos from her trip.

Christie Valdiserri — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

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Published Dec 25, 2023

MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a Lifestyle & Trending News writer for SI Swimsuit. Before joining the team, Martha worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Martha loves to watercolor and oil paint, run or water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.