Two-Pièce de Résistance: Jarah Mariano, 2008

Jarah is an unsung hero of the swimsuit issue.

Photo: Stewart Shining

This was her rookie year of two years in the magazine. She’s breathtaking.

I think she’s got a following of her own. I know she’s done some Victoria’s Secret and maybe a few lad rags? But she should be more exalted in SI than she is.

I put her at the halfway point of my top-50 ranking of swimsuit models back in 2013, but it’s still a pleasant surprise when I see her. “Oh right! Jarah Mariano!”

This photo is just so … pretty.

Everything about it is very feminine. Pink bikini, not too modest but not overly skimpy, with a sparkly design. A fragrant-looking lei draped around her neck. An elegant, curvy pose, soft smile, wisps of hair caressed by the breeze.

I once declared that this photo could have been a cover. In fact, I think it’s a much better image than Marisa’s cover that year. She even angles her head and upper body as if to accommodate the Sports Illustrated title across the top.