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We Will Never Forget Yumi Nu’s 2022 SI Swimsuit Cover Photo Shoot

The three-time brand model landed on the front of last year’s issue and became the first plus-size Asian woman to do so.

Ananya Panchal

Yumi Nu was photographed by James Macari in Montenegro.

Yumi Nu was photographed by James Macari in Montenegro.

Yumi Nu made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2021, landed on the front of last year’s issue and totally nailed her latest photo shoot with photographer Amanda Pratt in Dominica.

The model-musician made history in April 2022 as the first plus-size model to be featured on the cover of Vogue Japan. As a woman of Japanese and Dutch descent, it was a lifelong dream come true and a major milestone for Nu and her community.

“Japanese culture values being skinny, dainty and small,” Nu wrote in an essay last year. “So for me to be on the cover of Vogue Japan meant being seen and being honored by a culture that often makes people with bigger bodies like mine feel invisible.” 

The 26-year-old is also the founder of Blueki, a clothing brand focused on ethically sourced and timeless plus-size apparel. 

Below are six of our favorite photos from Nu’s cover photo shoot in Montenegro last year with photographer James Macari.

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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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