Leyna Bloom Reinvents the One-Piece Swimsuit in These 6 Pics

The three-time SI Swimsuit model made history with her cover in 2021.

Cara O’Bleness | Nov 29, 2023

Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Think a one-piece is boring? Think again. With her historic SI Swimsuit Issue cover in 2021, Leyna Bloom reinvented the essential form of swimwear. After the Chicago native traveled to Tampa, Fla., for her rookie photoshoot with Yu Tsai, she earned the cover and became the publication’s first transgender model in history.

Bloom, who is also an actress, dancer and activist, has returned to the fold each year since. Her work with the brand has since taken her to Belize and Dominica, where she posed for Yu Tsai (again) and Amanda Pratt, respectively.

While posing for the magazine along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Bloom rocked a number of incredible looks, from one-pieces with bold-cut outs to colorful swimsuits with plunging necklines. And two years later, we’re still just as obsessed with each and every one of them.

“Honestly, it’s everything that I imagined it to be,” Bloom told SI Swimsuit of her cover girl moment. “I think I’m just kind of taking it all in because I don’t want my life to change in some senses. I still want to have balance and normality in my life! But at the same time, this was something that I wanted to do. And I did it. It’s a huge opportunity and I’m so grateful for it. But you know, I have so many more boundaries to break. So I have to just constantly put my sweatpants on and say, ‘I am grateful and proud of what I did today. Now, what am I going to do tomorrow?’”

Below are just a few of our favorite photos from her stunning cover photoshoot.

Leyna Bloom — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Lenya Bloom — Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

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Published Nov 29, 2023

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.