Supermodel Winnie Harlow sent temperatures soaring this week with a series of sizzling Instagram snaps featuring her in a vibrant red and orange striped bikini. The Canadian runway star flaunted her jaw-dropping figure in the skimpy two-piece, which boasted a balcony top and matching tie-side bottoms, as she soaked up the sun at her picturesque waterfront home.
Glamorous Beachside Photoshoot
Posing against a backdrop of palm trees and overlooking the water, Winnie looked absolutely sensational in her beach ensemble. She accessorized with chunky gold earrings and a matching chain necklace, styling her dark tresses in an elegant high bun. Completing her glamorous look with a flawless makeup palette, the Victoria's Secret star flashed her gorgeous smile while holding an orange scarf in several stunning photographs.
The supermodel posed both on her villa balcony and beside a swimming pool, showcasing the bikini from multiple angles. Her latest photoshoot follows a similar impromptu session from last year, when she shared striking snaps of herself in a tiny black two-piece that highlighted her svelte figure and chiseled midriff.
Sun Care Advocacy and Personal Journey
While enjoying the sunshine, Winnie took the opportunity to promote her own sun care brand, Cay Skin, which she launched in 2022. The brand was inspired by a traumatic experience several years ago when she suffered severe sunburn during a modeling shoot because the photographer didn't want her to reapply sunscreen that might give her skin a blue tint.
'By the second day I was so burned, doctors had to come because of the pain and inflammation,' Winnie recalled to Allure magazine in 2022. 'I didn't realize how passionate I was about sun care until I had that experience, so I decided to create Cay Skin.'
The model has been vocal about dispelling the myth that people with darker skin don't need sunscreen. 'I wanted to squash that whole narrative that Black people don't need sunscreen,' she insisted. 'It's not true at all. Like, yes we do. No one's melanin is enough to protect them from the sun's rays.'
Breaking Barriers in Modeling
Winnie previously confessed she was 'never supposed to be a model' due to her vitiligo, a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin caused by a lack of melanin. Despite this, she has forged an incredible career, becoming the first person with vitiligo to ever walk the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway.
Reflecting on her achievements, Winnie told ET Canada in 2023: 'It's funny to me now that I've actually created a lane for myself in this industry that there was never a lane set. People will be like, she's already a model because of her skin. I'm like, Well, it was actually the opposite. I was never supposed to be a model because of my skin.'
The supermodel hopes to continue breaking down barriers for others with vitiligo who dream of entering the modeling world. 'I think the biggest challenge today would be still breaking down those doors that, God bless, I was able to push down those doors to walk through,' she explained. 'But keeping those doors open for others to walk through... making sure that it isn't just tokenism.'
Winnie's message emphasizes inclusivity: 'Making sure that it isn't just there's one face or there's one person who can. Everyone is able to.' Her journey from working at La Senza while admiring models to becoming an industry trailblazer herself demonstrates remarkable perseverance and vision.
