Hailey Bieber once said she could not imagine agreeing to a nude photo shoot. Five years later, she has made an exception for a photographer she has trusted since the beginning of her modeling career.
The 29-year-old appears nude on the cover of ICE Magazine‘s third issue, reclining with a bottle of Guaraná Antarctica and sharply defined bikini lines. The photographs were taken in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival 2026 by Bieber’s longtime friend Renell Medrano.
The image is a notable departure from the boundary Bieber described publicly in 2021. She has now explained that the shoot felt possible because Medrano could push her creatively without making her feel uncomfortable or exposed.
The Brazil-themed issue also carries a personal connection for Bieber. Her mother, Kennya Baldwin, is Brazilian, while her maternal grandfather, Eumir Deodato, is the Grammy-winning musician and arranger whose work spans bossa nova, jazz and pop.
Renell Medrano Was the Photographer Bieber Trusted With the Shoot
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Bieber previously discussed her limits during a 2021 conversation with Yvonne Orji, saying, “I wouldn’t ever want to be shot naked.” She explained at the time that she would decline a project if its clothing or presentation made her uncomfortable.
Her position was not an absolute rejection of nudity under every circumstance. Speaking for the new issue, Bieber said her history with Medrano allowed her to approach the photographs differently. She credited the photographer with helping her feel comfortable while presenting her in an unfamiliar way.
“I would never have done that, shown that much, with anybody else but her,” Bieber said of the cover, according to Page Six.
Bieber also shared photographs from the issue on Instagram, identifying Medrano as the photographer and adding green hearts alongside a reference to the Brazil issue.
The Tape Bikini Turns Brazilian Tanning Culture Into Fashion
The nude cover is only one of several looks from the Rio shoot. Another photograph shows Bieber in a bright pink-and-yellow tape bikini, referencing the Brazilian practice of arranging strips of colored electrical tape to produce crisp, precisely shaped tan lines.
Those dramatic lines become part of the styling rather than something the photographs attempt to conceal. The Cut described the effect as turning the familiar signs of sunbathing into a fashion statement.
Bieber also posed in a sheer yellow Only Hearts bra and an elaborate celestial headpiece by Piers Atkinson. Entertainment Tonight highlighted the cover and its stripped-down styling after the images were released.
The Brazil Issue Was Photographed During Carnival
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Medrano founded ICE Magazine in 2024 as a publication centered on women photographed through a woman’s perspective. After issues devoted to New York and Atlanta, the Rio edition became the magazine’s first international installment.
The entire project was photographed during Carnival and features 16 models in addition to Bieber. Tina Kunakey and Brazilian model Juliana Nalú are among the issue’s other cover subjects.
In the magazine’s official WePresent feature, Medrano said she wanted to capture both the physical energy of Rio and the freedom she associates with Brazilian women. The digital edition is available in English and Portuguese, with a limited number of physical copies produced.
Bieber Is Matching the Magazine’s Charity Contribution
Bieber said the women in her Brazilian family shaped her comfort with her body. She specifically credited her mother and grandmother with teaching her a sense of confidence that informed the Rio photographs.
A portion of the issue’s sales will benefit the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Women in São Paulo. Bieber has also pledged to match the magazine’s total contribution to the organization.
The ICE cover arrived during a particularly visible week for Bieber and her husband, Justin Bieber. The couple also appeared together in an intimate shoot for WYouth, giving Hailey two closely released covers built around markedly personal imagery.