SI LifeStyle

Padma Lakshmi Sizzles in Metallic Bikini, Shares BTS Video of SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot

The TV show host, mom and best-selling author makes her debut with the magazine this month.

Ananya Panchal

Padma Lakshmi

Padma Lakshmi.

Padma Lakshmi is riding the wave of her viral SI Swimsuit photos that everyone is talking about. The Top Chef and Taste the Nation host donned a stringy golden metallic bikini made of a collection of tiny armored circles from Toxic Sadie Swimwear during her photo shoot in Dominica. 

She posted a stunning behind the scenes video of herself being photographed by Yu Tsai on Instagram.

“This is me. I wouldn’t go back to my 20s if you paid me all the money in the world.@si_swimsuit #sportsillustratedswimsuit #bts,” she captioned the May 3 IG reel shared with her 1.3 million followers. The video of Lakshmi hitting various glamorous poses and effortlessly slipping in to “model mode” was set to the sound of Etta James’s “A Sunday Kind of Love.”

“Amazing. And, I feel the same. :),” Jeni Britton agreed.

“Too sexy, reporting this,” Mindy Kaling commented.

“Gorgeous inside and out,” Amanda de Cadenet wrote.

“okay this is EVERYTHING!! you’re incredible,” Nasim Lahbichi gushed.

The mom of one makes her debut with the magazine later this month. She revealed that while her modeling career peaked in her 20s, being an SI Swimsuit model at 52 is even more unexpected and exciting.

“I was a little bit freaked out because I knew that I couldn’t get as tight and lean as I could if I had some more time,” the best-selling author said about being photographed just a month after she wrapped up filming her two cooking shows. “But then I just looked in the mirror and I reminded myself, I’m not here because I’m the world’s greatest model. I’m here because I’m me. I’m not getting this in my 20s. I’m getting this now, at this point, and it’s so much sweeter because I’m doing it now.”

Meet Padma Lakshmi—read the 2023 SI Swimsuit model’s full feature profile here.

Get ready for the hottest event of the year! The 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue release is just around the corner, and you won’t want to miss the Swimsuit Issue Launch Party. Secure your tickets now and join us for an unforgettable weekend of glamour, beauty and fun.

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.

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