Swimwear built some of the biggest personal brands on Instagram. The bikini models on Instagram are not just posing on beaches. They run swimwear labels, walk Sports Illustrated runways, coach millions on fitness, and push body confidence forward across every size and background.
This list is not ranked strictly by follower count. It is a working snapshot of twenty Instagram bikini models who matter right now, picked to cover the full spread of the niche: swimwear founders, Brazilian and Latina bombshells, Scandinavian supermodels, plus-size pioneers, fitness stars, and rising names worth catching early.
For a wider directory once you finish here, our full list of female Instagram models goes broader. These are the swimwear names to follow in 2026.
20 Best Bikini Instagram Models to Follow
Each model earns her spot for a different reason. Below is a short profile for each, covering her career, content style, and the business behind the feed.
1. Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata)
Emily Ratajkowski is one of the most recognizable bikini models on Instagram, with a following of around 29 million. She broke through in the 2013 Blurred Lines video, then turned a modeling career into genuine cultural influence as a model, actress, and bestselling author of My Body.
Her feed pairs swimwear and beach editorials with fashion, opinion, and a sharp point of view on how women’s images get used online. That mix keeps her relevant far beyond a standard swimsuit feed.
Crucially, she owns her lane: her swimwear and intimates label Inamorata turned her audience into a business she controls, which is exactly the model the modern bikini creator follows.
2. Candice Swanepoel (@angelcandices)
Candice Swanepoel is one of the most iconic Instagram bikini models in fashion history. The South African supermodel became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2010 and has shaped beachwear trends for well over a decade, with a following in the tens of millions.
Her feed blends editorial bikinis, high fashion, motherhood, and a relaxed beach aesthetic. She has worked with houses like Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and Versace across a long career.
She also founded her own bikini label, Tropic of C, built around sustainability and body confidence. That combination of runway legacy and ownership makes her one of the most respected bikini models anywhere.
3. Alexis Ren (@alexisren)
Alexis Ren is one of the most recognizable Instagram bikini models in the world, with around 17 million followers. She started modeling at 13 and went viral in her teens after beach and swimwear photos spread online, then translated that early attention into a long-running career.
Her feed pairs sun-soaked swimwear with wellness content, travel, and a positive lifestyle message. Alexis has been featured in Maxim and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and was named SI Swimsuit Rookie of the Year in 2018.
She also built a brand beyond the camera, founding the wellness community We Are Warriors and moving into activewear. That mix of glamour and self-improvement keeps her at the front of the swimwear conversation.
4. Elsa Hosk (@elsahosk)
Elsa Hosk is a Swedish bikini model and former Victoria’s Secret Angel with a following around 9 million. A onetime professional basketball player in Sweden, she became one of the most in-demand runway and swimwear models of the last decade.
Her Instagram mixes bikini and resort looks with high fashion, motherhood, and a clean Scandinavian aesthetic that brands love. She wore the Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra in 2018 and remains a fixture of the swimwear circuit.
Like the best on this list, she turned reach into ownership, launching the fashion label Helsa, which keeps her firmly in the founder tier of Instagram swimwear creators.
5. Lais Ribeiro (@laisribeiro)
Lais Ribeiro is a Brazilian bikini influencer on Instagram. Born in 1989, she trained as a nurse before modeling, then walked for Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, and Gucci, and became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2015.
She wore the two-million-dollar Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra in 2017 and has appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, where her love of tiny bikinis is well documented. Her feed blends runway glamour, beachwear, motherhood, and travel, and sits alongside our other favorite Brazilian influencers.
Beyond bikini modeling, she founded an eco-friendly construction-materials venture in Brazil, a refreshingly unexpected business for a swimwear icon. She is one of the most decorated Brazilian bikini models on the platform.
6. Josephine Skriver (@josephineskriver)
Josephine Skriver is a Danish bikini model and Victoria’s Secret Angel with a following around 8 million. Known for her athletic frame and warm on-camera energy, she became one of the most bankable swimwear and lingerie models of her generation.
Her feed leans into bikini and resort content, fitness, and travel, with a fitness-forward angle she built through her Josephine Skriver training programs. That blend of swimwear and genuine athleticism sets her apart.
An advocate for LGBTQ families, she brings a personal story and a loyal community to the swimwear space, not just a highlight reel of beach photos.
7. Brooks Nader (@brooksnader)
Brooks Nader is one of the defining swimsuit models on Instagram. The Louisiana native won the Sports Illustrated Swim Search open casting call in 2019, debuted in the magazine in 2020, landed the cover in 2023, and now carries SI Swimsuit Legend status.
Her content mixes high-end swimwear, red carpets, and a fun, unfiltered personality. She has expanded into television, starring in the Hulu reality series Love Thy Nader alongside her model sisters and joining the FOX Baywatch reboot.
She has also moved into business with a jewelry line and a denim collaboration, cementing her status as one of the defining American swimsuit models of her generation.
8. Romee Strijd (@romeestrijd)
Romee Strijd is a Dutch bikini model and former Victoria’s Secret Angel with a following around 7 million. She rose through the VS ranks in the 2010s and became a familiar face on runways and in swimwear campaigns worldwide.
Her Instagram pairs bikini and resort looks with wellness, motherhood, and a documented journey with PCOS that made her one of the more relatable voices in the supermodel tier. Her YouTube vlogs deepened that connection.
She has since moved into founder territory with the sustainable label RomeeStrijd, continuing the pattern of swimwear creators who turn audience into ownership.
9. Camille Kostek (@camillekostek)
Camille Kostek is one of the most popular swimwear models working today. The Connecticut native won the inaugural SI Swim Search open casting call in 2018, landed the cover as a rookie in 2019, and earned brand Legend status in 2024.
A former New England Patriots cheerleader, she has built a career well beyond modeling, hosting TV shows and appearing in films like Free Guy. Her feed mixes swimwear, red carpets, and upbeat body-positivity messaging.
Camille designs jewelry for Dune Jewelry and has released swimwear collaborations and a size-inclusive line. After being told she was not tall or thin enough for traditional agencies, she turned a swim casting call into a lasting swimwear career.
10. Anllela Sagra (@anllela_sagra)
Anllela Sagra is a Colombian fitness bikini model on Instagram with a following around 14 million, and one of the biggest names bridging the gym and the beach. A former fashion student, she left design to pursue training and never looked back.
Her feed is built on sculpted physique content, bikini and gym shots, and workout guidance, which puts her right beside the leading female fitness influencers. She co-founded the training platform Ultimate Fitness to package that expertise.
For followers who want a bikini body built and explained in the gym, not just styled on the sand, Anllela is one of the definitive follows in the niche.
11. Natasha Oakley (@tashoakley)
Natasha Oakley is the textbook example of an Australian bikini model on Instagram who turned a swimwear feed into a real company. Born in Sydney in 1990, she co-founded the blog A Bikini A Day in 2012, posting a new swimsuit photo every day with her business partner Devin Brugman.
That blog became a launchpad. In 2014 the pair founded Monday Swimwear, a direct-to-consumer label now known for flattering fits and casting healthy rather than ultra-thin models. She runs it as CEO and co-founder, and has added the activewear line Monday Body.
Her Instagram, with around 3 million followers, blends swimwear, travel, and behind-the-scenes founder content. She is proof that a bikini brand can scale globally without a fashion-school pedigree.
12. Devin Brugman (@devinbrugman)
Devin Brugman is the other half of the Monday Swimwear story and a major bikini model on Instagram in her own right, with roughly 1.5 million followers. Born in 1990, she met Natasha Oakley in Maui in 2009 before the two relocated and built their swimwear empire together.
Her feed leans into bold, colorful swimwear, curve-conscious styling, and a confident body-positive message that helped define the brand. She is also a proud dog mom to her pet Walter, who has his own Instagram following.
As co-founder and a constant face of the label, she shows how two friends turned daily bikini posts into a globally stocked business. She remains one of the most influential swimwear creators around.
13. Kelly Gale (@kellygale)
Kelly Gale is an Australian bikini model on Instagram, of Swedish and Indian heritage, with a following around 1.7 million. She walked the Victoria’s Secret runway and became a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, a natural fit for her beach-honed physique.
Her feed is heavy on swimwear, travel, and elite-level fitness, and she is candid about the training and discipline behind the photos. That athletic transparency has made her a favorite in the swimwear space.
She sits comfortably in the modern Australian bikini-model mold: internationally scouted, fitness-driven, and brand-savvy across every post.
14. Bruna Lima (@xoobruna)
Bruna Lima is a Brazilian fitness and Instagram bikini model with around 4 million followers. She combines a sculpted, competition-level physique with the sun-soaked swimwear content the niche is built on, in the same league as the top female bodybuilders on Instagram.
Her Instagram is heavy on gym work, bikini shots, and fitness motivation, with a strong emphasis on discipline and training. She has worked with supplement and activewear brands as her audience has grown.
Bruna represents the newer wave of Brazilian creators who blend hardcore fitness with swimwear modeling. For followers who want bodies built in the gym rather than just styled for the beach, she is a strong follow.
15. Cindy Prado (@cindyprado)
Cindy Prado is a Cuban-American bikini model and one of Miami’s most-followed swimwear creators, with an Instagram audience around 2 million. She built her platform on a polished, sun-and-sand aesthetic that made her a go-to for swimwear and lifestyle brands.
Her feed pairs bikini and resort content with travel, fashion, and fitness, and her Latina appeal puts her alongside the hottest Latina Instagram models. She has fronted campaigns for major swim and apparel labels.
A consistent poster with a sharp brand sense, Cindy is a clear example of how a Miami swimwear creator scales an audience into a full influencer business.
16. Sahara Ray (@sahara_ray)
Sahara Ray is an Australian bikini model on Instagram and swimwear designer who turned viral attention into a brand. The daughter of pro surfer Tony Ray, she grew up around beach culture and built a following on her laid-back, sun-soaked aesthetic.
Her feed is full of swimwear, travel, and beach lifestyle content. She signed with ONE Management and parlayed her audience into her own swimwear label, Sahara Ray Swim.
She is a good example of the Australian bikini-model template: beach-raised, design-minded, and brand-savvy. Her feed stays true to the relaxed coastal vibe her audience follows her for.
17. Hunter McGrady (@huntermcgrady)
Hunter McGrady is the leading plus-size bikini model on Instagram and a genuine barrier-breaker. Born in Los Angeles in 1993, she started as a straight-size model at 15, then switched to plus-size after being pressured to shrink, and signed with Wilhelmina.
In 2017 she became the largest model to that point to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and she landed a cover for the 60th-anniversary Legends issue in 2024. Her feed centers on swimwear, motherhood, and radical body acceptance, in the spirit of our curvy Instagram models guide.
She built a business around inclusivity too, launching the size-inclusive clothing line All Worthy and co-hosting the Model Citizen podcast with her sister. She is essential viewing for anyone who wants the bikini niche to reflect every body.
18. Charly Jordan (@charlyjordan)
Charly Jordan is one of the younger Instagram bikini models on this list, a multi-hyphenate with around 4 million followers. She built her audience across Instagram and TikTok with swimwear content, DJ sets, and an adventurous travel lifestyle.
Her feed mixes bikini and beach shots with music, wellness, and exotic destinations. She tours as a DJ and leans into outdoorsy, carefree content that sets her apart from studio-only creators, and she also features among the hottest TikTok girls.
Jordan is a strong fit for anyone who likes their bikini paired with travel and a high-energy personality. As a younger creator, she also shows where the next wave of bikini influencers is heading.
19. Kara Del Toro (@karajewelll)
Kara Del Toro is an American bikini model and influencer with an Instagram following around 1.8 million. She first drew attention through campaign work and has since built a steady swimwear, fashion, and lifestyle presence.
Her feed leans into bikini and resort content, glamour shoots, and travel, with the polished, brand-friendly style that keeps her in regular rotation with swim and apparel labels.
A dependable, consistently on-brand creator, Kara rounds out the rising tier of Instagram bikini models who turned modeling work into an independent influencer business.
20. Antje Utgaard (@awesomeantjay)
Antje Utgaard is a Scandinavian-American bikini and glamour model with an Instagram following around 2 million. Raised in small-town Wisconsin and of Swedish and Norwegian descent, she studied fashion merchandising before turning her Instagram into a modeling career.
Her content centers on swimwear, bikini shoots, and a classic-glamour aesthetic that has drawn comparisons to old-school pin-up. She has leaned into sustainable and ethical swimwear partnerships as her audience has grown.
She has also branched into acting and built her own merchandise and content business off her platform. Her icy-blonde look fits right in with our guide to blonde Instagram models.
What Sets the Best Instagram Bikini Models Apart in 2026
The bikini niche stopped being only about a good beach photo. The creators who lead it now run businesses, advocate for causes, or bring real athletic credentials. Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman own a global swimwear label. Emily Ratajkowski built Inamorata. Hunter McGrady reshaped what a swimsuit model looks like. Brooks Nader turned an SI win into a television career.
Range matters here too. This list spans swimwear founders, Brazilian and Colombian stars, Scandinavian supermodels, plus-size leaders, fitness competitors, and rising young creators. The bikini is the common thread, but the bodies, backgrounds, and business models are deliberately varied.
How These Bikini Models Built Their Brands on Instagram
Most of these women followed a similar path. They posted consistently, built a recognizable beach aesthetic, then converted attention into ownership through swimwear lines, activewear, or product collaborations.
The model who only poses for other people’s brands is increasingly rare at the top. She has been replaced by founders like Oakley and Brugman with Monday Swimwear, Emily Ratajkowski with Inamorata, Candice Swanepoel with Tropic of C, and Hunter McGrady with All Worthy.
The takeaway for brands and aspiring creators is consistent. Reach is the starting point, not the goal. The creators who last treat their audience as a community and their feed as the entrance to a larger business.
Conclusion
The hottest bikini models on Instagram in 2026 are a varied, ambitious group. They are swimwear founders and supermodels, fitness competitors and body-positivity advocates, and they prove the niche now rewards substance as much as a striking beach photo.
What connects them is a mix of confidence, consistency, and the business sense to turn a swimwear feed into something lasting. These twenty names are the ones shaping bikini and swimwear culture on the platform this year.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most-followed bikini models on Instagram in 2026 include Emily Ratajkowski, Candice Swanepoel, Alexis Ren, Elsa Hosk, and Lais Ribeiro, alongside swimwear founders like Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman and fitness stars like Anllela Sagra. Our full list ranks 20 of them with profiles.
The standout Australian bikini models here are Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman, co-founders of Monday Swimwear, swimwear designer Sahara Ray, and Sports Illustrated model Kelly Gale. All built audiences on a beach-driven aesthetic.
Hunter McGrady is the leading plus-size bikini model on this list, known for breaking barriers at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit and founding the size-inclusive line All Worthy.
For Brazilian bikini models, Lais Ribeiro brings Victoria’s Secret Angel pedigree, while Bruna Lima offers a fitness-focused take with a competition-level physique.
Many do. Emily Ratajkowski founded Inamorata, Natasha Oakley and Devin Brugman founded Monday Swimwear, Candice Swanepoel created Tropic of C, Elsa Hosk launched Helsa, Sahara Ray runs Sahara Ray Swim, and Hunter McGrady built All Worthy.
Brands usually partner through sponsored posts, long-term ambassadorships, swimwear collaborations, or affiliate deals. Pairing a few high-reach names with a larger group of mid-tier creators who deliver stronger engagement per post tends to work best.
