Nina Cash Has an Important, Inspiring Message About Age and Ambition

The SI Swimsuit rookie’s motto is ‘slay the gray.’

Nina Cash / Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Nina Cash, a 2024 SI Swimsuit rookie, is proof that age is just a number. The franchise is constantly shattering the stereotype that there’s an age limit on beauty. At 57, Kathy Jacobs made history in 2021 as the oldest woman to pose for the brand. Maye Musk, 72, set the bar as the brand’s oldest cover model in ’22, and last year, Martha Stewart practically broke the internet when she landed on the front of the issue at the age of 81.

Cash, who is a retired university associate dean, calls modeling her “encore career.” She applied to the Swim Search open casting call on a whim and was not only named a finalist, but co-winner of last year’s competition. She made her debut in this year’s 60th anniversary issue. The 57-year-old recently chatted with Hey Beauti magazine about how she‘s embracing her age, enjoying getting older and inspiring other women to “slay the gray.”

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“Age is a number that measures one’s time on this earth, and time waits for no one; it will pass regardless of what you are doing or not doing. By being a 57-year-old Sports Illustrated Swimsuit rookie, I can send a powerful message that aging is a gift that not many are fortunate to receive,” she shared. “Being a 57-year-old woman with many life experiences has made navigating and managing this new career path more accessible for me. People have been incredibly supportive and accepting. Additionally, as a lifelong learner who isn’t afraid to ask questions, I’ve embraced every opportunity to learn and grow.”

Cash is also proud to serve as representation not only for women in their 50s, but also for Asian-American women everywhere.

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“As a proud Filipino woman and the eldest of the 2024 SI Swimsuit rookie models, I am honored to represent Asian culture and women over 50 in the fashion industry. I look to many community members with pride at their contributions, and I am excited to add to what many Filipinos and Asians have already accomplished,” Cash continued. “It is encouraging to see the 1980s and 1990s supermodels, now in [their] late 50s and early 60s, back on the catwalks and in magazines. I hope one day to also be on the cover of a fashion magazine, slaying the gray and representing my Gen Xers.”