These 4 Frames From Bianca Balti’s SI Swimsuit Debut Are Pure Magic

We were so mesmerized, we needed to see the model in the 2017 issue again.

Bianca Balti was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Bianca Balti won SI Swimsuit Rookie of the Year honors with her debut feature in the magazine’s 2017 issue, and these photos show exactly why.

SIP July Swimsuit Issue. Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Swimsuit Issue. dark. Buy Now

As soon as the Italian model stepped foot on Sumba Island, she brought a playful and radiant energy to set that seemed to only shine brighter in front of James Macari’s lens. Sporting a plethora of multicolored suits against the picturesque, tropical backdrop of the island, it was this shoot that made Balti a favorite of the SI Swimsuit brand—and for good reason. Check out some of our favorite frames.

Bianca Balti was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island. Swimsuit by INDAH. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

“I wanted to do [SI Swimsuit] forever,” Balti shared with Fox News at the time. “After the casting, I was like, ‘Now I really want to be in the magazine because I want to work with these amazing people.’ The whole process was natural.”

Balit elaborated that the SI Swimsuit team made her feel right at home, bringing an extra element of comfort to set. “Everyone is so cheerful. They really make you feel so beautiful,” she explained. “It honestly just felt like you’re at the beach with friends and just playing around, seriously. It’s like the dream job.”

Bianca Balti was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island. Swimsuit by milkbaby bikini by Cat Thordarson. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Balti’s debut shoot featured powerful seaside poses as her sky blue eyes shined. The model earned the title of Rookie of the Year at 32 years old at the time, and Balti disclosed afterwards that she was stunned to achieve the accomplishment at that point in her career.

“It’s amazing because I’ve done so many of these things I’ve always wanted to do — almost everything — in my career. And now, at 32, I didn’t expect this,” Balti told PEOPLE. “I wanted to be in the magazine for so long, and finally I’m here. And plus, I’m Rookie of the Year! It’s amazing.”

Bianca Balti was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island. Swimsuit by Heidi Klum Swim. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

In 2018, Balti returned to the magazine for another seaside shoot, this time in Aruba. And yet, like her first time on set, the nerves from her debut feature seemed to carry into her second.

“It's been my dream the last ten years to be in [SI Swimsuit],” Balti shared in 2018. “I was nervous—even this time, even if it was the second time around—just because I’m so aware that I’m creating memories for myself forever. I wanted to be fantastic because it’s so iconic to me.”

Bianca Balti was photographed by James Macari in Sumba Island. Swimsuit by Sky. Top by Grace Bijoux. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Nerves and all, Balti was still an SI Swimsuit it-girl of the 2010s.

Today, she brings the same energy to her modeling endeavors, shooting with Vanity Fair Italia and Vogue Adria this April and May, respectively. In 2024, she announced that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and has since shared updates on her health journey with fans online, including the great news that she’s now in remission.

SIP July Swimsuit Issue. Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Swimsuit Issue. dark. Buy Now