Christie Brinkley Model daughter’s difficult youth
Christie Brinkley’s daughter confesses Sailor Brinkley Cook tells of her childhood riddled with self-doubt
Sailor Brinkley Cook is stepping out of her mother’s shadow and making a name for herself in the modelling world. But the teen admits being the daughter of supermodel Christie Brinkley, 64, has made her feel endless pressure and low self-esteem at times – to the point where she “hated” what she looked like.
In a candid interview last week, Sailor, 19, revealed it took her years to overcome her self-doubt.
“I’ve dealt with insecurity and body image issues my entire life. Everyone sees flaws when they look in the mirror… I was a chubby kid,” she says. “I got teased, bullied and bad-mouthed. My friends were petite and could eat whatever they wanted. I wasn’t. I hated having a roll around my tummy.”
And Sailor says her confidence took even more of a hit as she got older, particularly when she was scrutinised merely for being Christie’s daughter.
“That pushed me down emotionally... I had a deep hatred for what I looked like,” she added. “I wouldn’t go to swimming pool parties because of my stomach. I’d not go to friends’ houses for dinner because I didn’t want to eat.”
Now, after embracing her figure, Sailor is done with comparisons to her stunning mum.
“I’ve never brought it upon myself that I have to be like her… that’s not possible,” she says. “She’s had a career for 50 years. I’m not even 20 years old yet. I’m just trying to live my life. I want people to realise I have my own things going for me.”
Indeed, Sailor is working towards a degree in photography, politics and business at Parsons School of Design in New York.
The youngest of three children, Sailor’s dad is Christie’s fourth husband, Peter Cook. (Sailor’s brother Jack is Christie’s to third husband Richard Taubman, and Alexa Ray is Christie’s eldest, to second husband Billy Joel.)
After appearing with her model mum and Alexa Ray, 32, in the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, Sailor has now gone out on her own – boldly posing nude for this year’s edition.