Jena Sims and Penny Lane Share Unfiltered Confessions Backstage During Swim Week

Learn which model met her partner by sliding into his DMs first, and who has walked a runway tipsy.
Penny Lane and Jena Sims
Penny Lane and Jena Sims / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

The energy backstage during Miami Swim Week was palpable: SI Swimsuit models could be found getting their final glam touches from hair and makeup, practicing their runway walk and creating content for the camera.

Jena Sims, our 2024 Rookie of the Year, and two-time brand star Penny Lane did all of the above while at the W South Beach on Saturday, May 31, and their backstage confessions are finally coming to light. The pair participated in a fun game of “Never Have I Ever” before strutting the catwalk—and we’ve got their unfiltered revelations here.

The pair, who were named co-winners of the 2023 Swim Search together, giggled and showcased their differing personalities throughout the clip, where Sims, a self-described “Type A” person, admitted she has never missed a flight.

Lane, on the other hand, has missed a flight on more than one occasion. “I’m always in my own little world and I’m like, I’m actually at the airport and I’ve missed it,” she admitted.

And while Lane stated she’s never slid into anyone’s DMs first, Sims chimed in that she has—in fact, it’s how she met her husband, professional golfer Brooks Koepka. The two got engaged in 2021, tied the knot the following summer and welcomed their son, Crew, in July of 2023.

As their last on-camera confession, Sims stated “Never have I ever been drunk on a runway, or toasty,” to which Lane divulged that she once “need[ed] a little bit of spice” before stepping out on the catwalk for Agent Provocateur. “I was really nervous for that one,” she stated.”

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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.