Swimsuit

Model and Nutritionist Sarah Brandner’s 6 Best SI Swim Bodypaint Photos

The German model was featured in the 2010 SI Swimsuit Issue.

Cara O’Bleness

Sarah Brandner was photographed by Yu Tsai in a New York studio.

Sarah Brandner was photographed by Yu Tsai in a New York studio.

When Sarah Brandner posed for the SI Swimsuit Issue in 2010, the German-born model was thrilled to participate in a unique feature that didn’t require a trip to the beach. Rather than donning a number of colorful string bikinis and unique one-pieces in the sand, Brandner traveled to a New York studio, where she worked with photographer Yu Tsai and makeup artist Joanne Gair on a bodypaint feature.

That year, a number of other women participated in the WAGS-themed bodypaint spread, in which wives and girlfriends of famous athletes donned painted-on swimwear for the magazine.

“I’m wearing the Germany jersey, it’s very short but brilliant,” Brandner said at the time. She sported a torn-away jersey on her upper half, with a pair of polka dot bottoms painted on to the lower part of her body. “It looks really real, but it doesn’t feel real.”

At the time, Brandner was dating German former soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger. While the athlete is retired today, he was a member of the World Cup team the year of his then-partner’s feature with SI Swimsuit.

“It’s amazing,” Brandner concluded of the experience on set.

Today, the model also works as a nutritionist and uses her platform to promote healthy lifestyle practices. This spring, she debuted an educational cooking series that teaches nutritional best practices through tasty recipes. She is currently represented by the Berlin-based SESAMY talent agency.

Below are six of our favorite bodypaint photos from Brandner’s incredible SI Swimsuit Issue feature from 13 years ago.

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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.