Where Are They Now? Winnie Harlow

The model and skincare entrepreneur is a brand legend who first posed for the SI Swimsuit Issue in 2019.

Winnie Harlow / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated and Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

After appearing on the 21st cycle of America’s Next Top Model in 2014, Winnie Harlow quickly became a household name. Though she wasn’t declared the winner of the reality television show that year, the Canadian model used the opportunity to make a name for herself. She has since collaborated with notable high-fashion brands like Steve Madden, Victoria’s Secret, Diesel and others. 

The runway model has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and has graced the covers of publications such as Vogue India, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. Harlow was notably featured in the 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue after posing for a stunning set of photos in Great Exuma, Bahamas.

Winnie Harlow / Sergi Alexander/Getty Images

In addition to her skills in front of the camera, Harlow, born Chantelle Whitney Brown-Young, is an entrepreneur and self-love advocate. If you’re curious about what she has been up to recently, we’re answering your most burning questions about Harlow below.

Winnie Harlow and SI Swimsuit

In honor of the brand’s 60th anniversary issue, Harlow was deemed a brand legend this year and participated in a group photo shoot with fellow SI Swimsuit icons in Hollywood, Fla. The feature resulted in a triptych of gorgeous 2024 magazine covers, captured by photographer Yu Tsai.

Winnie Harlow was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Gaurav Gupta. Shoes by Alevì. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

“It feels empowering as a woman to be recognized alongside so many legendary women who are revered for their talent, intellect, business acumen, philanthropic contributions, and for breaking down boundaries for women in their respective fields,” Harlow stated while on set in the Sunshine State this spring. “When we were on set the day of the shoot, I was in awe of all the generations of accomplished women who were around me; it filled me with a sense of pride to be working alongside them, but also a sense of motivation to continue to empower the next generation of strong women.”

Winnie Harlow vitiligo 

Harlow developed vitiligo, an autoimmune condition that causes patches of skin to lose their pigment, at the age of 4. While she proudly uses her platform to inform and educate, Harlow is adamant that despite being an advocate of the condition, she is not a spokesperson for those with vitiligo.

Winnie Harlow / Steven Ferdman/Getty Images

“I happen to have vitiligo and I’m proud of it, but I’m also not a spokesperson for it just because you want me to be, or just because I have a skin condition,” she told the Daily Front Row in 2020. “That’s not how life works. That makes it difficult. It’s not about me being private about my skin condition. I love talking about it. But it’s not the only thing about me.”

Winnie Harlow Cay Skin

The supermodel launched her suncare brand, Cay Skin, in 2022 after her time on location with the SI Swimsuit team in the Bahamas, which was captured by photographer Laretta Houston. 

“While I was on set, we couldn’t really find any SPF that looked amazing on my skin, so I didn’t reapply like I should,” Harlow told us. “And it really made me think, why is there nothing on the market that looks incredible on all skin tones? SPF that just makes you look amazing and feel amazing—and when I saw that gap in the market, I decided to create Cay Skin.”

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Today, Cay Skin is sold online and in Sephora stores, and the brand offers daily SPF products, lip products, after-sun care and more. The award-winning beauty line has been named to Glamour’s Best Luxury Skin Care Products of 2023 list and was included in Bustle’s Best Skincare Products of 2023. 

“The most rewarding [thing] is when people come up to me and tell me that they love the brand and what it did for them,” Harlow says of her business. “When somebody comes to me and tells me, ‘Oh my gosh, that was the first SPF that I ever used on my darker skin tone that looked incredible, thank you for creating that,’ that makes it all worth it to me.”

Winnie Harlow background

Though Harlow was born in Canada, she is of Jamaican ancestry and incredibly proud of her Canadian-Jamaican heritage. In fact, her Cay Skin brand utilizes ingredients native to the Caribbean country, including sea moss and aloe vera. 

“I love islands. I love to be in the heat. I love beaches. I’m Caribbean through and through,” Harlow told Allure. “It's the music I listen to, the food I eat, it's a part of my life. Cay Skin was named after the cays—or keys—which are little pockets of islands [in Jamaica]. I wanted to package the Caribbean in a bottle.”