Birthday Girl, SI Swimsuit Legend Christie Brinkley Was Stunning and Glamorous for Brand Return

Brinkley made her debut with the magazine in 1975 and turns 71 today.

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Costarellos. Shoes by Stuart Weitzman. Jewelry by Ettika. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Christie Brinkley has achieved a long list of incredible feats throughout her career so far, including 11 photo shoots with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, one of the brands that made her a household name. Debuting on the pages of the magazine in 1975 where she posed for Walter Iooss Jr. in Cancun, Mexico, the model, actress, entrepreneur and activist has gone on to serve as a major inspiration for women across the globe, proving that models are more than just a pretty face.

Brinkley made SI Swimsuit history as the first model to appear on three consecutive covers of the magazine, and she’s traveled to some of the most beautiful locations in the world with the brand. This includes Brazil in 1978, Kenya in 1989, Turks & Caicos in 2017 and more. In 2024, the mom of three returned to the brand after seven years for the 60th anniversary “Legends” photo shoot, posing alongside 26 other icons who have made the magazine what it is today.

In celebration of Brinkley’s 71st birthday on Sunday, Feb. 2, let’s look back at her incredible gallery of images for the 2024 issue. Photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla., she exuded undeniable elegance, glamour and confidence as she demonstrated why she’s such a powerhouse with a 50-year-plus career.

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Costarellos. Shoes by Stuart Weitzman. Jewelry by Ettika. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Costarellos. Shoes by Stuart Weitzman. Jewelry by Ettika. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Christie Brinkley was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Costarellos. Shoes by Stuart Weitzman. Jewelry by Ettika. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Brinkley, who is also a published author and animal activist, released her clothing brand TWRHLL in 2024 and continues to spearhead her successful vegan and organic wine brand Bellissima, created in 2016. While on set with SI Swimsuit last year, she highlighted the importance of women’s empowerment and offered advice to make the world a little brighter.

“I just think we all need to be easier on each other. We all need to love each other a whole lot more. It can start with a simple thing. Sometimes it takes some courage to smile at somebody; they might not smile back, but so what? Smile more; open the door,” she said. “All these things are so simple, but we need it to happen now. We need to find common ground. We need to make each other smile on that common ground.”

Ahead of her 70th birthday last year, Brinkley told People Magazine that she was approaching the milestone “with a lot of reverence and emotion.” Determined to embrace each day, she shared, “I want to keep on charging ahead and having lots of dreams and chasing them and following them and living them.”

Looking ahead to later this year, the Michigan-born multi-talented celeb will star in a family comedy called American Summer alongside Steve Guttenberg. Brinkley shared excitement over the film, which is set to release this Fourth of July.

Happy birthday to an absolute icon through and through!