Swimsuit

Camille Kostek and Brooks Nader Reveal Their Favorite SI Swimsuit Covers

The women flipped through the 50th Anniversary coffee table book, featuring legends like Tyra Banks and Kate Upton.

Ananya Panchal

Brooks Nader and Camille Kostek.

Brooks Nader and Camille Kostek.

In honor of Women’s History Month, five former and current models are revealing their favorite SI Swimsuit covers of all time.

Camille Kostek, Brooks Nader, Kelsey Merritt, Nyma Tang and Valentina Sampaio flipped through SI Swimsuit’s 50th anniversary coffee table book, 50 Years of Beautiful, filled with five decades’ worth of content dating back to the early 1960s. The women gushed about their favorite covers and listed which iconic models inspired them to want to work with the brand.

“My favorite cover is 2008 Marisa Miller,” Kostek says. “Just look at her. Wow.”

Marisa Miller was photographed by Raphael Mazzucco in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Kostek made her SI Swimsuit debut as part of the 2018 Swim Search program and landed the cover as a rookie in ’19 after being photographed by Josie Clough in Australia.

“I had a cover of Kate Upton and I cut a picture of my face out and I put it on her body,” Kostek admits. “What I didn’t realize was that I was manifesting a cover. Now I don’t have to stick my face on [anyone else’s]. I have my own cover.”

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough in Kangaroo Island.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough in Kangaroo Island.

Merritt, a social media influencer who has recently been nailing her street style, made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2019, having previously walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret.

“I really love the 1977 Lena Kansbod [cover],” the three-time SI Swimsuit model says. “[Look at] how happy and real it looks.”

Lena Kansbod was photographed by Art Kane in Maui, Hawaii.

Lena Kansbod was photographed by Art Kane in Maui, Hawaii.

Merritt adds that the first few SI Swimsuit covers she came across were of Kate Upton, who landed three in six years. She noted that Upton’s 2013 Antarctica photo shoot resulted in one of the most “iconic” covers.

Kate Upton was photographed by Derek Kettela in Antarctica.

Nader just wrapped up her fifth SI Swimsuit photo shoot. The experience was extra special as she was photographed in the Dominican Republic on her birthday.

“I love Heidi Klum’s cover [from] 1998,” Nader says. “I mean... come on.”

Heidi Klum was photographed by Robert Erdmann in Vabbinfaru, Maldives.

“I would have to say my favorite cover ever is Ms. Tyra Banks,” gushes Tang about the three-time SI Swimsuit cover star’s 1997 pic. “I love her, looking all snatched.”

Tyra Banks was photographed by Russell James in Harbour Island, Bahamas.

“Beyoncé looks amazing too, but she always looks amazing,”  says Tang, who made her magazine debut in 2021.

“This one was the first I saw,” says Sampaio, pointing at Carol Alt’s 1982 cover photo in a red one-piece, which was captured in Kenya. “I love the picture.”

Carol Alt was photographed by John G. Zimmerman in Kenya.

Carol Alt was photographed by John G. Zimmerman in Kenya.

“I could stare at this book all day,” Kostek says. Next year, 2023 will be the brand’s 60th anniversary!

Make sure to follow SI Swimsuit on YouTube!

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When she is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, Panchal can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. Panchal has a bachelor’s in communications and journalism from Boston University.

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