Nicole Williams English Reflects on Posing for SI Swimsuit Issue While Pregnant

The 2023 Rookie of the Year traveled to Dominica for last year’s photo shoot.

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

When she traveled to Dominica for her 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie photo shoot, Nicole Williams English was pregnant—and ecstatic over sharing the special moment in front of the lens with her unborn daughter.

“I hope that I can inspire people and show a part of me, especially being pregnant doing this,” the model, entrepreneur and designer stated while on set. “To be able to show my daughter this and to be able to tell her the story of how I got here and how hard I worked to get here and how this was my biggest dream and my biggest goal and to tell her to chase her dreams and never give up, this is just so special because she’s here with me right now and I’m just gonna show her all these beautiful pictures and I just wanna inspire her.”

Prior to posing for her feature with photographer Yu Tsai in the Caribbean, Williams English was named a rookie for the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue on the Miami Swim Week runway the prior summer. The moment was doubly exciting as she and husband Larry English also announced their pregnancy on the catwalk. Williams English has been very open about her IVF journey, and it was an incredibly full-circle moment to pose for last year’s annual issue while pregnant with her baby girl.

The proud parents welcomed daughter India Moon English in January of 2023, and Williams English then walked the Miami Swim Week runway that July with her daughter cradled in her arms. After such an incredible journey, it’s no surprise that the model was named SI Swimsuit’s 2023 Rookie of the Year.

“I cannot believe that I am the 2023 Rookie of the Year,” Williams English gushed in an Instagram story last December. “I can’t believe I’m saying that, honestly, this ride just keeps getting better and better and better. I’m sure if you guys have been following me, you guys know that being in Sports Illustrated, even just being a rookie, gracing the pages of Sports Illustrated, being amongst all those iconic, beautiful amazing, strong women... This has been my ultimate goal throughout my whole career. This is why I started, this is where I wanted to be, this was my biggest dream, and that I’m living out my dream right now is just blowing my mind. I don’t even have words.”

The Nia Lynn founder returned to the fold in this year’s 60th anniversary issue and traveled to Mexico, where she again posed for Yu Tsai. Below are a few of our favorite snapshots from her rookie SI Swimsuit Issue feature.

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit top by DU CIEL. Swimsuit bottom by Tia Adeola. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by DU CIEL. Dress by Elizabeth Shevelev. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit top by PatBO. Swimsuit bottom by BAHIA MARIA. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by DU CIEL. Dress by Ezili Swim. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated