Swimsuit

Kelly Gale Wore a Necklace As a Bikini Top During Her Photoshoot in Indonesia

The Swedish model was featured in the SI Swimsuit Issue six years ago.

Cara O’Bleness

Kelly Gale

Kelly Gale was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island, Indonesia. 

When Kelly Gale posed for the SI Swimsuit Issue in 2017, the Swedish model had already been working in the modeling industry for some time. She got her start with H&M in her early teen years and went on to audition for Victoria’s Secret when she was 18.

A few years later, Gale landed her SI Swimsuit feature, which took her to Sumba Island, Indonesia, with photographer James Macari. And while the partnership produced a number of incredible images, one look in particular still stands out six years later—the model donned nothing but a necklace in place of a bikini top for several snaps. The beaded accessory was styled with a pair of brown bottoms with fringe on each of the hips.

“It’s still hard to process that I’m becoming a Sports Illustrated model,” Gale, who is now 28, said at the time. “It’s a really big deal. I think that gave me even more energy to go out there and [work hard] and take some really cool photos. I can’t wait to be a part of the SI Swimsuit family.”

Today, Gale continues to model and has also worked as an actress. She’s currently represented by Buchwald and Magnolia Entertainment, respectively. In addition to appearing in an Enrique Iglesias music video, Gale had a part in Plane, the 2023 action-thriller starring Gerard Butler.

No matter whether she’s posing in front of the lens or adding more credentials to her IMDb page, we love seeing whatever Gale does next. Below are a few of our favorite snapshots from her SI Swimsuit feature—starting with that incredible necklace.

Kelly Gale
Kelly Gale
Kelly Gale
Kelly Gale
Kelly Gale
Kelly Gale

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Published
Cara O’Bleness

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara 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, Cara 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.