Kelly Hughes

The model from Miami, FL, broke barriers in this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue being the first model to highlight her cesarean section scar, which has never happened in the magazine's 58-year history. Along with being one of this year's most talked about swimsuit models, Kelly is also a single mother to her 3-year-old son as well as the founder and designer of the jewelry brand, HÜES! Her designs have been worn by JBalvin, Ricky Martin, Chayenne, Zion y Lennox, Alicia Keys, Maxwell, Young Thug, and many more.

Now, the model is continuing to embrace the outpowering of love she's received from the mama community to showcase others and lift them up. She has partnered with ESTAS Beauty to start the #ScarLoveChallenge on social media to spread a feeling of empowerment and change the societal stigma around scars. The challenge encourages participants to reinterpret Kelly's photo showing off their own scars using the # and challenging their friends to join the movement. Every time a #ScarLoveChallenge photos is posted, ESTAS will donate $1 to World of Children, helping disadvantaged children around the globe.

More on Kelly and her over two decades as a model below. Looking forward to hearing back!

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About Kelly Hughes:

Kelly Hughes started modeling over 20 years ago with Next Models, who she still calls her mother agency. When she started her career there was something about the energy and adrenaline on set that made her embrace this industry and never look back. In 2009 with work slowing down due to many uncertainties in the economy, Hughes began working part-time in a restaurant and noticed her manager had a stack of bracelets on his wrist and had the thought to see if he wanted to add one more. She went home that night and out of a determined spirit and a God-given talent she made her first bracelet that would launch her jewelry line, HÜES. With word of mouth, she sold over 200 bracelets until her first store, Base (on Lincoln Road in Miami), saw someone wearing it and invited her for a meeting to sell in their store. This turned out to be the catalyst that launched her successful unisex jewelry line which as been worn by names such as: JBalvin, Ricky Martin, Chayenne, Zion y Lennox, Alicia Keys, Maxwell, Young Thug, and many more.

In 2018, Kelly added mother, to her already impressive resume, which she credits as her most rewarding accomplishment. When she found out she was pregnant, Kelly immediately started realizing her birthing plan. After weekly birthing classes, and countless doctor visits, the most important day of her life had arrived, and she was ready to give birth. Kelly quickly realized that her birthing plans would have to shift as she had a lengthy labor. She and her doctor would ultimately agree that a c-section was the best choice for her and 30 minutes later she met her beautiful, healthy boy for the first time. She would be sent home with a clean bill of health, however unbeknownst to her she had a serious infection and had to be rushed back to the hospital 2 days later. Kelly would have emergency surgery reopening her c-section which was successful but would leave her with two additional scars. Even though Kelly's birth experience was far from what she was expected, knowing her son was healthy was all that mattered to her, and she is thankful that her c-section was able to keep her baby boy healthy and allow him to be delivered successfully.