Two-Pièce de Résistance: Karen Mulder, 1997

I've always thought this photo of Karen was lovely.

Photo: André Rau

It makes me stop and stare every time I come across it.

It’s a very Grace Kelly look, which makes sense because the shoot was in Monaco. SI has done other “retro” themes, like Laetitia Casta’s “history of swimwear” shoot in 2000 and Heidi Klum’s “Varga girl” bodypainting in 2006.

Karen's pic feels a little different. Her swimsuit isn't particularly retro, but all the other visual elements are: the hair, the makeup, the coy pose, the peaches-and-cream smirk. Her spread in this issue told kind of a celebrity story, in which she’s strolling through her rarefied lifestyle, surrounded by reporters and pampered dogs and helicopters.

I know nothing about photography, but I think it has a different look from most swimsuit shoots. They used fashion photographer André Rau, and I believe this is his only shoot for SI, so they were going for a specific sheen.


Karen has a darker and more bizarre connection to Grace Kelly and Monaco, which I won’t get into, but suffice it to say Karen has had some darkness in her life. It’s hard to reconcile that darkness with such a pretty, charming, well-coifed image.

I’m reminded of this shot from Walter Iooss’s “Heaven” book. 

It’s Petra Nemcova, shot in Vietnam for the 2003 issue. Iooss has this to say about the photo:

“This is a picture I never really looked at until Petra nearly drowned in the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster almost two years after we visited Vietnam. It’s not a happy or sexy image by any means but there is something telling to it considering what later happened to her. Her history makes this picture a little more interesting.”

I disagree on one point — I think this is a very sexy image. But it’s also somber, imbued by tragedy with more weight.

I think it’s useful to be reminded that a lot of turmoil can exist beneath the most serene photo. We’re looking at a very controlled, final image.

Swimulacra

Okay, so the #SwimsuitIconChallenge is super charming.

The recreations are fun and inventive and often pretty hot.

I’m particularly entranced by this bevy of Elles.

The makeshift solutions are pretty creative, too, using aloe leaves for Petra …

… blowdryers for Christie …

… Sony Walkmans for Marisa …

… and fast food signage for Carol.

Carol herself even got into the act, recreating a fellow cover girl shot.

I think there must have been a starter group of pics that participants could choose from, because there are no fewer than three recreations of this Chandra North pic (complete with heels).

I’m quite familiar with this photo, obviously, but it doesn’t seem like one of the iconic SI shots that would be first on anyone’s mind.

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Anyway, one of the pics that was recreated was this one:

…along with a nice story of the woman who created it.

So in celebration of Alli and Jessica, let’s have a pineapple-themed Fruit Friday.

Beak-inis

Christie Brinkley apparently got attacked by a bird the other day. Black eye, hospital visit, the whole nine yards.

Let us look at some happier model/bird moments from the swimsuit issue. We covered parrots already, but there are so many other species to represent.

First, let’s get Christie on the path to rehabilitation.

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UPDATE, 5/20/18

I've been in a Myla Dalbesio mood, so I thought I'd update this three-year-old post with a pic of her posing with flamingos in the 2018 issue. (I also added her to my hammocks post.)

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UPDATE, 10/18/19

Welcome to the flock, Kate Bock. Here she is in 2017.

Tipping the Scales

Today’s “Animals and Swimsuits” entry is brought to you by reptiles.

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UPDATE, 10/18/19

Kate Bock, brandishing an iguana in 2017.

Same Suit, Different Babe-a-Palooza

I wish I knew more about this MTV 2002 swimsuit issue special. I stumbled across these photos from backstage. They’re from the same switcheroo event as this post, where the girls dressed in each others’ swimsuits.

In these shots, they also seem to be recreating some previous covers.

Here you can see Marisa Miller as Judit Masco (1990), Melissa Keller as Tyra Banks (1997), and Annie Morton as Valeria Mazza (1996). (They’re being photographed by Petra Nemcova, no idea if she’s in disguise.)

Chandra North plays Daniela Pestova (1995), Carla Maria plays Tannia Rubiano (1971), Ana Beatriz Barros plays Tyra Banks (1996), Vanessa Lorenzo plays, perhaps, Yamila Diaz (2002).

It’s interesting to see a lot of the same covers that have since gotten additional tributes.

Also, for good measure, Here’s Chandra dressed up as Elsa Benitez.

Looks like quite a party.

In any case, one of the girls being portrayed is Valeria Mazza, who’s 43 today.