Birthday Girl XANDRA Brought Unforgettable Energy to Her 2026 Montauk Feature

We’re wish XANDRA a very happy birthday today, Friday, Oct. 30!

XANDRA is a professional DJ and model who first appeared in SI Swimsuit in 2024—though that wasn’t her first experience with the magazine! In 2023, the model hyped up the crowd at the annual SI Swimsuit Runway Show in Miami during Swim Week with a playful DJ set before surprising fans with her own turn on the catwalk. The following year, she posed for her aforementioned rookie feature, traveling with the SI Swimsuit team to beautiful Belize.

XANDRA reunited with the magazine in 2025 for a colorful sophomore shoot in Jamaica, and in 2026, she brought unforgettable energy to her fashion-forward feature in Montauk, N.Y. Ahead of the issue's launch this May, she took to Instagram to share her excitement, calling her 2026 shoot her “favorite year yet.” In another Instagram caption, the model wrote, “WE ARE BACK BABY !!! So grateful to be back in [SI Swimsuit] for my 3rd year <3 Every year it just keeps getting better and better 🥹.”

And as if that weren’t impressive enough, XANDRA also recently announced she would return to the annual issue in 2027 for her fourth feature with the brand! On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the magazine unveiled the first group of models set to appear in the forthcoming magazine, with the DJ stamping her passport in Spain, specifically Ibiza and Mallorca. So, to celebrate XANDRA’s special day—and her return to the annual issue!—we’re shining a spotlight on her most recent shoot in marvelous Montauk.

XANDRA was photographed by Ben Watts in Montauk, N.Y. Swimsuit by netta. | Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

XANDRA was photographed by Ben Watts in Montauk, N.Y. Swimsuit by Bamba. Hat by Air and Speed. | Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

The birthday girl was photographed by Ben Watts at The Hero Beach Club for her most recent SI Swimsuit feature. For the playful snapshots, she posed in several stunning settings, embracing the many exciting on-set locations—from sun-drenched shorelines to local streets and beyond.

XANDRA was photographed by Ben Watts in Montauk, N.Y. Swimsuit and board shorts are vintage Roxy. | Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

XANDRA was photographed by Ben Watts in Montauk, N.Y. Swimsuit by Atmosea. | Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

For her eye-popping wardrobe, the SI Swimsuit style team sought to channel the ever-popular Y2K fashion aesthetic, seeking styles that “leaned heavily into early 2000s surf culture.” This laid-back-meets-luxe vibe also extended to the hair and makeup, with the team stating, “In an effort to keep things loose and undone, models wore barely-there makeup, fresh out of the ocean texture in their hair and bikinis that were hot and fun.”

XANDRA was photographed by Ben Watts in Montauk, N.Y. Swimsuit and hat by Shall We? | Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

XANDRA was photographed by Ben Watts in Montauk, N.Y. Swimsuit by Ola Vida. Shirt by Billabong. | Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

As a result, the final photos were fashionable, fabulous and—above all else—fun! And we already know the model will continue to embody those splendid vibes as she heads into her next year. In short: we at SI Swimsuit are wishing XANDRA a very happy birthday!

More SI Swimsuit