SI LifeStyle

Ashley Callingbull Shares Stunning Throwback Polaroids From History-Making SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot

The model was the first Indigenous First Nations woman to be featured in the magazine.

Ananya Panchal

Ashley Callingbull.

Ashley Callingbull.

One year ago, Ashley Callingbull made history as the first Indigenous First Nations woman to be featured in the pages of SI Swimsuit. The SI Swim Search finalist was photographed in the Dominican Republic by Yu Tsai.

On Thursday, she posted an adorable series of throwback of pics from her fitting last year.

“1 year ago I made history as the first Indigenous First Nations woman to grace the pages of @si_swimsuit — I’m still beaming with pride 🥰✨🪶 @theswimfluencenetwork,” she captioned the post shared with her 1.2 million Instagram followers.

The video was set to the sound of Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” and included Polaroids of the 33-year-old in 11 different swimsuits while smiling for the camera. She posed with her arms to her side and showed off her toned abs.

“QUEEENNNNNN,” chirped fellow Swim Search model Manju Bangalore.

“Obsessed !!!!!” gushed 2023 rookie Mady Dewey.

Callingbull said the reaction following her appearance was extremely rewarding. She previously shared that not just Indigenous people, but several women of color also reached out to say it felt “so good to be seen and heard.” 

The soon-to-be-published author always has been dedicated to increasing representation, but she said her feature with SI Swimsuit “amplified” everything. 

“I am the first Indigenous First Nations woman to appear in the magazine, and I know I won’t be the last,” the Canadian Football League broadcast host said at the time. “I’m opening the door for our next generation of women, which is really important. When you see SI Swimsuit, you see these amazing women who have all these wonderful careers and do so much good for other women. I remember seeing Tyra Banks on the cover as a little girl, and I thought if she could make history, maybe I could do it, too. Now that I’m in this position, I’m also giving inspiration to other women.”

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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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