5 Striking, Smiling SI Swimsuit Snapshots of Birthday Girl Emily DiDonato

The six-time SI Swimsuit model turns 35 today, Feb. 24.

Emily DiDonato was photographed by Ruven Afanador in Saratoga, Wyo. / Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated

Today, Feb. 24, we’re wishing Emily DiDonato a very happy birthday! To celebrate, we’re sharing some standout moments from the model’s dominant tenure at SI Swimsuit.

Following her 2013 debut in Namibia, DiDonato was destined for stardom in the fold. She shot with the magazine for three years straight following her rookie campaign, and, after a three-year hiatus, she returned in full force with a duo of photoshoots to start the 2020s.

2014 in Switzerland

Emily DiDonato was photographed by Yu Tsai in Switzerland / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

DiDonato traveled to Switzerland for her sophomore appearance in the fold, where she posed on the mountaintops and with a few furry friends—like a pair of St. Bernards.

2015 in Hawaii

Emily DiDonato was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hawaii. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

For year three, the model traded the snowcapped mountaints of the European nation for the powdery sands of Hawaii. Her swimwear even matched the tropical location in this shot, featuring a plunging, printed one-piece suit.

2016 in Turks & Caicos

Emily DiDonato was photographed by James Macari in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Lost Art By Jordan Betten. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

To wrap up a consecutive four-year stint, DiDonato headed to Turks & Caicos and showcased this multicolored string suit, which matched the shoreline and sky behind her in this frame from photographer James Macari.

2020 in Saratoga, Wyo.

Emily DiDonato was photographed by Ruven Afanador in Saratoga, Wyo. Swimsuit by Monica Hansen. Necklace by Nativo Arts. / Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated

DiDonato stepped onto the set in Saratoga, Wyo., for her first photoshoot with the magazine for its first issue of the 2020s. She embraced the Cowboy State by adding a western hat to numerous ensembles, like the one seen in this smiling snap.

2021 in Sacramento, Calif.

Emily DiDonato was photographed by Anne Menke in Sacramento, Calif. Swimsuit by Juillet. Boots by Hunter. / Anne Menke/Sports Illustrated

The year following, she headed to the West Coast and paired a pastel blue Juillet bikini with a pair of Hunter boots as she posed against a vintage car. “I think Sports Illustrated was a pivotal moment for me, because it was kind of in this moment where I was just starting to become comfortable in my body and my skin; and then all of a sudden, I was in SI Swimsuit, fully in a bikini, and it was just all out there,” she reflected with the magazine in 2021.

Emily DiDonato was photographed by Anne Menke in Sacramento, Calif. Swimsuit by Dos Gardenias. Sweater by Mango. Boots by Ariat. / Anne Menke/Sports Illustrated

“And I think that, for me, it was, like, a weird self-acceptance moment [...] For a long time, as a model, I was trying to hide the fact that I wasn't a double zero, 'cause I always felt like it was wrong, and I was hiding, or trying to pretend I was [someone] I wasn’t. But then when I did Sports Illustrated, my body was out there for everyone to see,” she continued.

“I was just kind of, like, you know, Sports Illustrated [is] celebrating my body, and other people, it is resonating with them, and I need to start accepting my body and celebrating it and doing everything I can to work the size that I am and be happy this way.”

---

More Emily DiDonato:

feed