Paige Spiranac, Kate Upton and Other SI Swimsuit Legends Share What Beauty Means to Them

Danielle Herrington, Camille Kostek and Paulina Porizkova also reveal their definitions of the word.

Paige Spiranac and Kate Upton / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

National Inner Beauty Day is celebrated today, Oct. 7, and in honor of the occasion, we thought it appropriate to share how a few of our brand legends define the word “beauty.” While on set in Hollywood, Fla., earlier this year, the following women shared exactly what beauty means to them—and unsurprisingly, no one mentioned outward appearances.

Below, take a look at how a few of SI Swimsuit’s brand legends define beauty.

Paige Spiranac

Paige Spiranac was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Maria Lucia Hohan. Shoes by Dolce&Gabbana. Jewelry by Melinda Maria and Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

The two-time brand model, who made her debut in 2018 in Aruba, believes that beauty starts on the inside—and there’s nothing more beautiful than someone who shares their genuine self with the world.

“Beauty comes from within and I think everyone has a different definition of what it is,” Spiranac explains. “I look at people who are kind and driven and hard workers and they’re the most beautiful people. If you meet someone who is just genuinely kind and sincere, they’re the most beautiful people that you will ever meet. And I think with the way real life is and how hard it is, so many people are hardened by their life experiences, and so if you have someone who is still willing to be vulnerable and kind and trusting to other people, that’s what true beauty is.”

Kate Upton

Kate Upton was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Maria Lucia Hohan. Shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai /Sports Illustrated

The 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue cover model, who was photographed in Mexico in addition to participating in the legends group feature, believes beauty radiates from within once you discover what truly makes you happy.

“Beauty for me is how you feel [inside],” Upton states. “It’s about being happy. It’s about being fulfilled. It’s about finding balance in your life.”

Danielle Herrington

Danielle Herrington was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Gaurav Gupta. Shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

The 2018 SI Swimsuit Issue cover star has a similar definition of beauty to Upton: inner happiness translates to outward radiance.

“To me, beauty means happiness, being confident, being self-assured,” Herrington says. “It’s not always physical. Being nice, that’s beautiful, being kind, because this world, it’s not [always] kind.”

Camille Kostek

Camille Kostek was photographed by Yu Tsai Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Rhea Costa. Shoes by Black Suede Studio. Jewelry by Ettika. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

The 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue cover model believes that beauty is something that’s felt and exchanged between two people.

“I would say [beauty is] a kind and soft heart,” Kostek shares. “Whenever I meet somebody, I make eye contact with them and energetic exchanges happen. Like as soon as you walk in a room with someone, I’m immediately like, you have such a beautiful soul ... I find that I use the word ‘beauty’ mostly to talk about someone’s heart and soul. So to me, it’s just kindness, it’s love and it’s felt.”

Paulina Porizkova

Paulina Porizkova was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Marchesa. Shoes by Britt Netta. Jewelry by Ettika. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Porizkova, who landed back-to-back covers of the SI Swimsuit Issue in 1984 and ’85, takes the stance that there’s beauty everywhere, it’s just up to everyone to see it.

“I think the beauty is in the beholder, not the beholden. I know it’s a cliché, I know it sounds kind of trite, but it really is,” the author and model says. “It’s that moment of stopping and taking something in fully, and if you do really look at a person, you will find what’s beautiful about them because there’s beauty in everybody.”