Emily DiDonato Goes Full Cottagecore in Sweet Pastels, Florals on Sacramento SI Swimsuit Set

The six-time brand model traveled to California for her most recent brand photo shoot in 2021.

Martha Zaytoun | Aug 21, 2024

Emily DiDonato was photographed by Anne Menke in Sacramento, Calif. / Anne Menke/Sports Illustrated

Over the past 60 years, we’ve seen a lot of models return again and again to the pages of the annual SI Swimsuit Issue. Sure, some are one-timers, but several have earned the title of brand regular over the past six decades. Of that group, only a few have made half a dozen or more appearances on the pages of the issue.

That exclusive group of dedicated brand models includes Emily DiDonato. She first came to the magazine in 2013. At just 22-years-old, she already had impressive industry experience and the résumé to prove it. An appearance within the pages of SI Swimsuit seemed like a natural next step. But DiDonato didn’t stop after just one feature, she followed up that first trip to Namibia with three consecutive photo shoots in the years following. Then, after a brief hiatus, she returned to the pages of the magazine in 2020 and 2021 for her most recent pair of features.

The 33-year-old’s most recent brand trip brought her to Sacramento, Calif., where she posed in the fields on the outskirts of the city. With stunning ponds, rustic fences and horses making for an idyllic backdrop, the resulting images were some of our favorites of the returning brand model.

Though she hasn’t graced the pages of the issue since that last trip out west, there’s no telling what the future may hold for the impressive model. In the meantime, you can find us continuing to admire her stunning photos from California.

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

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

Published Aug 21, 2024

MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2023, she worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Zaytoun loves to watercolor and oil paint, run and water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.