Swimsuit

These 8 Photos of Irina Shayk in Tahiti Depict an Ideal Paradise

The repeat SI Swimsuit model’s most recent feature took place in 2016.

Cara O’Bleness

Irina Shayk

Irina Shayk was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tahiti.

Irina Shayk is a legendary SI Swimsuit model, having posed for the brand a grand total of 14 times between her rookie year in 2007 and her most recent feature in ’16. She has traveled the globe with the publication for her 10 total SI Swimsuit Issues, as her many photo shoots have taken place in locations like Italy, Chile, Spain, Madagascar and more. Additionally, the 37-year-old became the first Russian model to land the magazine’s cover after her photo shoot in Maui, Hawai’i, in 2011 with photographer Bjorn Iooss.

“It’s kind of amazing. It changes every year—they take you to different locations every year. I feel like I grew up with them—they hired me back in 2007 and I didn’t really speak English back then...,” Shayk told Women’s Wear Daily in 2016. “Every time you learn something. I’ve learned a lot about being more confident with my body, because Sports Illustrated always hires girls who love their bodies, their curves, and it’s really important to love your body. My journey with them really showed me how you can be a better woman—how you can experience your body in a better way and be more confident.”

Below are eight of our favorite images from Shayk’s photo shoot in Tahiti with photographer Yu Tsai that perfectly capture that confidence in front of the lens.

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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.