Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2002

Viva el Bikini! This year's cover model Yamila Diaz-Rahi sits pretty in Mexico wearing a swimsuit by Macarena Gutierrez, shoes by Manolo Blahnik, and Alex Woo's classic Malia armband. Born in Argentina, Yamila is of Lebanese and Spanish descent and ironically had no intention to become a model. Everything changed however when she was spotted by a modeling agency scout in Buenos Aires and eventually selected to grace the cover of SI's Swimsuit Edition.

Favorite quote? "Some people have active imaginations, but they don't know me and they're wrong if they think they do."

Also inside the famous magazine was native bahaman export Shakara Ledard heating up Brazil's shore wearing Ambika and Alex Woo's Angel armband. Born to a Bahamian mother and a French father she attests "It's hard for a black girl to make it in the fashion industry, but it has fueled me even more and made me all the more determined to make it in the world." She has succeeded.