Gabriella Halikas Fulfilled a Lifelong Dream on the Set of Her 2021 SI Swimsuit Photoshoot

The model attributed her inspiration to fellow brand star and role model Ashley Graham.

Gabriella Halikas was photographed by Yu Tsai in Atlantic City.Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Among the 12 Swim Search finalists who made their debuts in 2021 was American model and body positivity advocate Gabriella Halikas. That year, she headed to the beautiful beaches of Atlantic City to pose in front of Yu Tsai’s lens for the SI Swimsuit Issue.

It was a dream come true for the model, who had worked for four years to set foot on the SI Swimsuit set, she said in an Instagram post at the time. And she made sure to make the most of it, proving her skill in front of the camera in a series of bright swimsuits. But she also made sure to thank the very role model who she credited with getting her to that place.

“THANK YOU TO MY ROLE MODEL @ashleygraham FOR SHOWING ME THAT I CAN DO THIS, AND FOR SUPPORTING ME ON MY JOURNEY!!!” she exclaimed in her Instagram announcement. “wouldn’t be here doing this if it weren’t for you sis!!!! YOU PAVED THE MF WAY FOR US CURVY GIRLS!!! (& also so many of you iconic curve/plus size models out there, you know who you are !!).”

Like the rest of us, she was inspired by Graham to follow her dreams and to make them a reality. And that’s exactly what she did when she set foot on set. While it was hard to curate just a few favorites from the day, we made our best effort. Below are some of her stunning photos from New Jersey.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

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