A Graphic Tee Will Never Go Out of Style and These SI Swimsuit Photos Prove It

Take a walk down memory lane with these throwback shots.

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

If there’s one thing we know about graphic tees, it’s that they are a staple style in the magazine that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Take a peek at how we’ve styled the go-to garments through the years.

Kate Upton in 2017

Kate Upton was photographed by Yu Tsai in Fiji. Swimsuit by Cali Dreaming. Top by Calvin Klein. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Upton—an SI Swimsuit legend who most recently donned the cover of the 2024 issue—showcased this Calvin Klein tee in Fiji. That year, the model returned to set after a brief hiatus in the fold (2015 and 2016) following her back-to-back front-page features in 2013 and 2014.

Cindy Kimberly in 2022

Cindy Kimberly was photographed by Ben Watts in Barbados. Swimsuit by Gabriela Pires Beachwear. Earrings by Mahrukh Akuly. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Kimberly rang in her rookie campaign in Barbados with a shirt that was totally fitting for the occasion. She tossed the white baby tee over a striped Gabriela Pires Beachwear number, and pulled back her hair to debut its three-word phrase: “Class of 2022.”

Sixtine, Kamie Crawford and Jena Sims in 2023

Sixtine / Ivan Apfel/Getty Images

Graphic tees were truly everywhere during the SI Swimsuit Runway Show in 2023—which was an intentional choice by its fashion team.

“We have such a strong, outspoken and empowered group of women walking in the show, and we wanted to communicate that through what they wore on the runway, so we did that literally,” the brand’s fashion editor Margot Zamet explained. “We prompted our models to give us quotes or words that are meaningful to them, and we had them printed on crop tops, swimsuits and accessories.”

Kamie Crawford / Ivan Apfel/Getty Images

At the W Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla., Sixtine, Crawford and Sims were just some of the runway models to sport graphic tees on the catwalk. Christen Goff, Samantha Hoopes and Brittney Nicole also debuted printed looks with expressions such as “UNAPOLOGETIC” and “MY BODY IS THE LEAST INTERESTING THING ABOUT ME.”

Jena Sims / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images/Sports Illustrated

Sims penned on Instagram following the show: “While this is true, the message behind the t shirt meant so much more to me. It takes courage to walk the runway 7 months pregnant. Working for my lifelong dream brand, having no control over my body was terrifying yet the biggest blessing. I was never alone up there.”

Nicole Williams English in 2025

Nicole Williams English was photographed by Yu Tsai in Jamaica. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. Top by MICAS. Body chain by Jacquie Aiche. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Touching down in Jamaica to complete a trio of features in the fold, Williams English repped the country with a contrasting green and yellow cropped top. She sported the colors of the Jamaican flag throughout the look, as she paired the baby tee with a pair of high-legged bottoms of the same hues from Andi Bagus.

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