6 Elegant SI Swim Photos of Samantha Hoopes in Australia
Samantha Hoopes made a splashy debut in the 2014 SI Swimsuit Issue, with a bodypaint feature on the beaches of St. Lucia. She returned to the fold each year through 2020, traveling to Oregon, Malta, Curaçao, Nevis, Australia and the British Virgin Islands for her annual magazine features.
While it’s been three years since the 32-year-old has been featured in the issue, Hoopes strutted the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show at the W South Beach for Miami Swim Week in July. In addition to her work with the brand, Hoopes has also modeled for other notable companies like Guess and Levi’s.
Hoopes is married to Italian entrepreneur Salvatore Palella, and together they share two children: a son named George and a daughter named Kennedy. When she posed for the 2020 SI Swimsuit Issue, the Pennsylvania native had just given birth to her first child four months prior.
“My first year, I came in—I don’t like to use the word lost—but at 22, you’re still kind of finding yourself, figuring out what you like and don’t like,” Hoopes told SI Swimsuit while on location three years ago of her learned experience. “Seven years later, it’s a big difference. I’m a woman. I have a baby.”
One thing remains the same: no matter where Hoopes has gone with the brand, she always impresses. Below are a few of our favorite snapshots from her feature in the 2019 SI Swimsuit Issue from Kangaroo Island, Australia with Josie Clough.