Jessica Gomes Made a Statement During Her Utterly Unique SI Swim Feature in China

We could never choose a favorite from her brand features, but this one was truly breathtaking.

Jessica Gomes was photographed byDerek Kettela inGuilin, China.Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Jessica Gomes didn’t always dream of pursuing modeling. The Australia native began exploring the career at her mother’s urging, and once she eventually got scouted by an agency, the rest is history.

She first became acquainted with the SI Swimsuit Issue thanks to longtime brand legend Elle Macpherson. When Gomes started looking at the issue when she was 17, she quickly found Macpherson’s old covers. “I just remember thinking, 'Wow, I'd love to do that,’” she told SI Swimsuit. And, so she did. 

While her brand debut took place in 2008, Gomes returned to the fold several times. Over the years, the 38-year-old has made a total of eight appearances in the annual SI Swimsuit Issue, posing everywhere from the Canary Islands to Portugal to her native Australia. In 2013, her sixth consecutive feature in the magazine brought her to the beautiful city of Guilin, China, where she posed for incredible photos taken by Derek Kettela. Posing away from the beachside locations typical of brand photo shoots made for a really memorable feature.

These days, Gomes continues to model. Most of the time, she poses for a variety of brand campaigns, from Yves Saint Laurent to Ralph Lauren and beyond. In addition to SI Swimsuit, she has graced the pages of several magazines, including Harper’s BAZAAR Australia as well as Harper’s BAZAAR Vietnam. 

Today, we’re looking back at that idyllic photo shoot in China. Here are few of our favorites.

Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

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