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.

One-Hit Wonder: Carla Maria, 2002

This gorgeous model was only in a single issue.

While poking around online for info about her, I found this slide show from Entertainment Weekly of a 2002 SI launch party. There’s a bit of a mental disconnect when you see some of the suits on the wrong models.

Shakara Ledard’s coffee bean bikini…

…is clearly where it belongs: on Shakara, on the right.

But Carla, on the left, is wearing a flowery top that clearly belongs to Ana Beatriz Barros. And Marisa Miller is wearing Daniela Pestova’s lime bikini.

Later in that slide show, Bridget Hall…

…is wearing Heidi Klum’s money suit.

It’s another variation on “Same Suit, Different Babe,” one that was lying hidden online for 12 years.