SI Swimsuit Rookie Melissa Wood-Tepperberg’s Bikinis Involved the Coolest Earthy Materials

The workout and wellness leader made her debut this year and was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica.
Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica.

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica.


2023 SI Swimsuit rookie Melissa Wood-Tepperberg’s shoot in Dominica earlier this year was one for the books. The workout and wellness leader, who founded the Melissa Wood Health platform to make mindful health and wellness accessible to all, was photographed by Yu Tsai.

The Move With Heart podcast host lives in New York City with her husband and two young kids.

“Being with Yu Tsai and MJ [Day, SI Swimsuit editor in chief] and the entire team, I have to say that I felt so entirely supported throughout every single step of the way,” the certified yoga and pilates instructor recalled. “It’s like working with a well-oiled machine, and I just felt like I was able to fully be myself and bring forward the real me in the most effortless way with incredible direction. There was just a softness and serenity in my face that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before on film or on camera.”

Below are seven of our favorite photos from Wood-Tepperberg‘s rookie shoot.

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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.