Camille Kostek Gave the Best Advice to SI Swimsuit Newcomers on the Launch Party Red Carpet

The SI Swimsuit Legend returned to the fold with an instantly iconic shoot in Switzerland.

Camille Kostek / John Nacion/Variety/Getty Images

Seeing your very first photos in an issue of SI Swimsuit might feel like a whirlwind, but during the 2025 launch party red carpet event on Thursday evening, Camille Kostek offered newcomers some sage advice.

“You did something right. You’re here,” the 33-year-old stated. “MJ [Day, SI Swimsuit editor in chief] saw you for who you are. You showed up unapologetically yourself. Look what happened.”

And who better to learn from than a SI Swimsuit Legend? Kostek has been a staple of the magazine since 2018, when she made history as the brand’s first Swim Search co-winner alongside Haley Kalil.

Camille Kostek / Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images

The model secured her first cover during her 2019 rookie year and has returned to the fold every year since. In 2024, she was named a SI Swimsuit Legend, cementing her legacy with a photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla.

“I have looked up to the legends for so long, even before I’d been welcomed into the SI Swimsuit family as a rookie,” Kostek told the brand after she received her spot on the roster of legends.

“On a surface level, you think of a woman in a bikini in a magazine,” Kostek continued. “At a young age, I saw these women who instilled confidence in me, who showed me that you can be more than a model. These women are moguls, they’re entrepreneurs, they’re personalities, they’re game changers.”

Camille Kostek was photographed by Yu Tsai in Legends - Hollywood-FL. Dress by: RHEA COSTA Shoes by: Black Suede Studio Jewelry by: Ettika / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Sharing the cover of the 60th Anniversary Issue with her Instagram followers, the model wrote, “Let this be a reminder that if you have a fire in your soul about a dream that feels far fetched … it’s not and it’s waiting for you to arrive AS YOU ARE.”

The post’s comments were a full-circle moment. Fans of Kostek shared that, for them, she was not just a model—she was their role model.

“You are such an inspiration to me to keep chasing my dreams! You are sooo deserving!!” one user shared.

“An inspiration to all young women!" another comment read.

MJ Day and Camille Kostek photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal for BTS photos. / Ben Watts

Perhaps Kostek’s advice serves as a reminder of her own journey with the brand. She shared that meeting editor in chief MJ Day was a moment of clarity in her career.

“It felt like divine timing,” she said. “After so many moments of doubt and rejection, to have someone believe in me exactly as I was...that changed everything.”

The 2025 SI Swimsuit magazine is available online and at select newsstands now. Order your copy here.

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