SI Swim Star Damaris Lewis Glistened During Her Trip to Turkey

The American model made the most of her first of three brand features.

Damaris Lewis was photographed byYu Tsai inCappadocia, Turkey.Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Damaris Lewis has always had an eye for the creative. Growing up, the American model attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York. There, she cultivated a passion for dancing that landed her a backup dancer position for a three-night stint of Prince performances back in 2014. With that kind of experience, you’d think that dance was her full-time pursuit. But it was really just a part-time pursuit for the New York native, she told us at the time. 

“Dancing is mostly a hobby,” she explained to the SI Swimsuit team. “I don’t ever see being the girl who stands in line for an audition. You kind of don’t get any bigger than Prince.”

Modeling was always her primary focus. Though it was technically against the rules, Lewis began modeling in early high school, posing for brand campaigns that landed her on a billboard outside of Lincoln Tunnel. Before too long, she landed her first gig with SI Swimsuit. In 2009, she traveled to Cappadocia, Turkey, with photographer Yu Tsai, posing for a series of unique photos for the annual magazine.

So impressive was her debut that the model earned two more appearances in the magazine in the two years that followed. Each was as impressive as the next, but we still have a soft spot for her first feature. Today, we’re taking a look back at that memorable trip. Here are just a few of the stunning photos from her trip to Turkey.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated