Watch These Hilarious Outtakes From Ashley Graham’s SI Swimsuit Cover Shoot in Turks and Caicos

The model landed the cover the very first time she was photographed for the issue.

Mara Milam | Jan 18, 2023

Ashley Graham was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos.

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Ashley Graham is well-known as a trailblazer in the fashion industry. Case in point: She made history in 2016 as the first size 14 model to be featured in the pages of the SI Swimsuit Issue. “Being the first-ever size 14 model in the pages of Sports Illustrated, that’s going to be a much huger stepping stone than just being a rookie or just being in the pages,” said Graham.“It’s a woman my size: A woman that has been told she was ‘fat’, ‘not good enough,’ ‘never going to be an editorial model,’ ‘never be in the pages of Sports Illustrated.’”

Her photo shoot with James Macari in Turks and Caicos was full of dance moves, laughs and jokes. And who could expect anything less? One of Graham’s most striking features is her vivacious and fun personality, which shines through her social media posts and public appearances.

She's known for her contagious energy, easy-going attitude and her ability to make others feel comfortable in their own skin. In 2021, Graham created a self-love challenge on TikTok, and just last year she ran around New York City offering free affirmations to strangers.

Graham would be featured again in the SI Swimsuit Issue in both 2017 and ’18. Today, the 35-year-old is the mother of three boys—Isaac, Roman and Malachi—and shares a strong bond with her husband, cinematographer Justin Ervin. She has a massive social media footprint with 19.5 million followers on Instagram and continues to be a powerful voice for inclusivity and representation in the fashion industry.

Check out a few more of our favorite moments from the fun day.

*Ashley Graham was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos.*
James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Published Jan 18, 2023

MARA MILAM

Mara Milam is the managing digital producer at SI Swimsuit. The California based video and digital content producer joined the “swim team” in March of 2020, just as the pandemic was settling in. Mara is a lover of all things travel and wellness and is passionate about elevating the voices and stories of people often not heard.