Tyra Banks & Danielle Herrington Attend ‘Sports Illustrated’ Swimsuit Launch

Tyra Banks, 44, and Danielle Herrington, 24, attended the launch of the 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

TYRA BANKS & DANIELLE HERRINGTON ATTEND SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT ISSUE LAUNCH PARTY

Herrington is the model featured on the cover, and is only the third black woman to grace the cover of this coveted issue. The first two were Banks and Beyoncé. In fact, Banks revealed Harrington’s cover photo to the model in an emotional moment that the SI Instagram account captured and posted.

At the SI Swimsuit launch party, Herrington and Banks appeared together. Herrington in a gold and tan bedazzled dress with a plunging neckline, and Banks in a funky black and brown striped number with an hourglass design, by Labourjoisie.

The pair appear very close. In fact, Banks has taken Herrington under her wing and plans to coach the young model in her blossoming career. “We kind of talked about this, but, like, this is a moment and all eyes are on you,” Banks said to Entertainment Tonight. “There’s all of these things that you do with strategy to make sure their eyes stay on you. And you don’t have to be gutter and crazy to do it. We’re going to strategize.”

Herrington still can’t quite get over the fact that she was chosen for the cover photo. “That makes my heart drop because Tyra, Beyoncé, they are superstars,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “They are what you want to be. They are my idols and they mean so much to me because they have the best work ethic and I feel like …sorry, I’m emotional. But that’s a part of where I get my drive from.”