Winnie Harlow Is a Beachside Beauty in the Bahamas

The model was a member of the 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue rookie class.

Cara O’Bleness | Dec 23, 2023

Winnie Harlow was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas.

Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

Canadian model Winnie Harlow was featured in the 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue after posing for a stunning series of photos in the Bahamas captured by photographer Laretta Houston. The opportunity came just five years after she was a finalist on America’s Next Top Model.

In addition to her work with SI Swimsuit and her feature on the reality television show, Harlow has walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret and landed covers for publications like Elle, Harper’s Bazaar Singapore and Vogue India.

The 29-year-old, who was diagnosed with the skin condition vitiligo when she was 4, posed in several stunning swimwear looks while on location in the Caribbean country, from soft-hued one-pieces to tiny string bikinis.

Harlow, who is also the founder of Cay Skin, a skincare and sun care brand, uses her platform to uplift others while advocating for inclusion in the beauty industry. Earlier this year, when she landed the cover of Women’s Health, Harlow recalled an important fan encounter that made a lasting impression.

“They said, ‘My whole life, my mother never felt beautiful, and then I showed her a picture of you and now she wears short sleeves,’” Harlow told the publication. “It’s beautiful that I can help inspire confidence in people, no matter what walk of life they are from.”

Harlow is beautiful both inside and out, so today, we’re throwing it back to a few of our favorite snaps from her time on location with the SI Swimsuit team in Great Exuma, Bahamas.

Winnie Harlow — Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

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Published Dec 23, 2023

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she 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, O’Bleness 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.