The Story Behind the Famous SI Swimsuit Photo of Kelly Gale in a Necklace as a Bikini Top

Kelly Gale was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island.James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Kelly Gale made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2017 and was totally unforgettable. The Swedish model, who is of Australian and Indian descent, was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island, Indonesia, where she posed in nothing but a necklace for some of the most iconic photos that year. 

“My favorite swimsuit was probably a little bohemian one that I wore. It was different,” the former Victoria’s Secret model said of the barely-there suit. “I hadn’t really seen a swimsuit like that before … and it was really sexy.”

At the time of her SI Swimsuit photo shoot, Gale, who is now breaking into the acting industry with 2023’s action film Plane, was at the peak of her modeling career and jumping from gig to gig.

She revealed that her SI Swimsuit feature, however, felt different because of the sheer amount of fun she had on set.

“I’ve been back since and it’s one of my favorite places. It was incredible,” she gushed about Indonesia. “I don’t think I’ve worked with a team that was that collaborative before and like warm and friendly.”

Kelly Gale was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island.

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

“It’s still hard to process that I’m becoming a Sports Illustrated model. It’s a really big deal,” she said in the middle of her photo shoot. “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.”

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