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We’re Still Not Over These 8 SI Swimsuit Photos of Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Culinary personality, New York Times best-selling author and mom Padma Lakshmi was featured in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue, and we are still not over her absolutely breathtaking photos. The 52-year-old was captured by Yu Tsai in the beautiful Dominica.
The creator and executive producer of Hulu’s Taste the Nation spent the bulk of her 20s modeling for major campaigns, but getting her SI Swimsuit opportunity in her 50s just felt “sweeter” and made perfect sense.
“I think that I feel more beautiful now because I hold that strength and I hold the experience in my flesh, in my person and in my spirit,” she said. “I think that has really made me who I am. I’m 52 years old, and I have never felt better about myself. My thighs may have been leaner and my boobs were probably slightly higher in earlier parts of my life, before I had my kid.”
Below are eight of our favorite photos from her SI Swimsuit photo shoot.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Tropic of C. Bracelets from model’s own collection.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Set by Elizabeth Shevelev.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Toco Swim. Necklace from model’s own collection.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by PatBO.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit top by NAVY RAY. Swimsuit bottom by Lola & Lamar.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Padma Lakshmi was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by Initial S Paris. Necklace from model’s own collection.
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.