Sailor Brinkley Cook Pays Tribute to Christie Brinkley’s Iconic Bikini

Sailor Brinkley Cook recently honored her mother, supermodel Christie Brinkley, by recreating the essence of her iconic June 1977 Cosmopolitan magazine cover. During her vacation in Turks and Caicos, Brinkley Cook shared a series of sun-drenched images on Instagram, showcasing her in a cobalt blue string bikini reminiscent of her mother’s legendary look.

The modern bikini, featuring a triangle top and minimal coverage, mirrored the iridescent purple high-cut design that helped elevate Christie Brinkley to international fame nearly five decades ago. The original cover, captured by renowned photographer Francesco Scavullo, remains one of the most memorable moments in Brinkley’s illustrious career.

In a throwback post from 2016, Christie Brinkley recalled her surprise upon first seeing the daring bikini made of strings. She wrote, “I remember the day Francesco Scavullo’s trusted stylist, Sean, handed me a little pile of string and asked me to put it on! I looked it over and started to laugh as I struggled to find the right way to do that! We had never seen anything like it before.” Brinkley described the high-cut style as “groundbreaking, racy, sexy, scandalous,” and expressed her enthusiasm with, “I LOVED IT!”

Brinkley further reflected on the impact of the bikini in a 2020 post, stating, “In 1977, this bathing suit caused a stir! At the time, all the bikinis were low-slung on the hip. This high leg cut made the hip a new erogenous zone.” Despite her confidence, she admitted to feeling self-conscious during the shoot, noting the absence of modern photo retouching. “They did not have retouching back then, so they really perfected the makeup and every strand of hair,” she recalled. “I remember I was worried that I looked fat.”

Today, Sailor Brinkley Cook, born in 1998 to Christie and ex-husband Peter Cook, supports her mother’s legacy while carving her own path in the spotlight. Last week, she posted another series of vacation photos, captioned “Mentally still here 🌺💭,” where she relaxed poolside in a bright turquoise bikini surrounded by vibrant tropical flowers. In a playful exchange, she commented on her mother’s recent bikini selfies, declaring, “Hot bod alert.”

Christie Brinkley, now 71, is also the mother of Alexa Ray Joel, 40, with musician Billy Joel, and son Jack Brinkley-Cook, 30, with ex-husband Richard Taubman. The enduring bond between the Brinkley women is evident as they celebrate their shared love for fashion and beach life, while also reflecting on the lasting impact of a moment that defined an era in modeling.