8 Groundbreaking SI Swimsuit Cover Photos of the Past Decade We’re Thankful for

This Thanksgiving, we’re taking a moment to look back at some of the brand’s most influential covers.

Ashley Graham was photographed by James Macari in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by BECCA By Rebecca Virtue. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

There’s something about the holiday season that just makes us so sentimental. And especially on Thanksgiving—the day to give thanks for what we’re grateful for—it only makes sense to reflect on all of the great things in our lives. For the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit brand, we have 60 years of amazing moments to be thankful for, and even in the past decade alone, we’ve crossed so many important milestones. In the name of feeling gratitude, let’s take a walk down memory lane and highlight some of our most impactful covers of the past 10 years.

From history-making moments to nearly breaking the internet with buzz-worthy photos, you, too, will feel thankful for these eight covers.

Nina Agdal, Chrissy Teigen and Lily Aldrige - 2014

Nina Agdal, Chrissy Teigen, Lily Aldrige posed for photographer James Macari in the Cook Islands / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

10 years ago, SI Swimsuit celebrated 50 years with a bang. Featuring three amazing models on the cover of the 2014 magazine, Nina Agdal, Chrissy Teigen and Lily Aldrige posed for photographer James Macari in the Cook Islands. The photo chosen for the cover featured the trio topless in neon swimsuit bottoms, looking back at the camera with wet beach waves in the ocean. The magazine, as the text on the cover presented, served as a reflection of the past, a celebration of the present and a look to the future.

“It’s been many years that I’ve been doing this now and this was the first shoot where I was like, 'This may actually have cover potential,’” Teigen said at the time. “We had this perfect water, perfect time of day, perfect light, perfect look, perfect suits, perfect everything. And with James Macari shooting, I just sensed it was going to turn out right.”

All three models returned for the 60th anniversary issue this year as brand “Legends.”

Ashley Graham - 2016

Ashley Graham was photographed by James Macari in Turks & Caicos. Swimsuit by Trunkettes. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Ashley Graham joined SI Swimsuit as a rookie in 2016 and impressively landed the cover, making history as the brand’s first plus size model to grace the cover of the magazine. She was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos for the feature, in which she posed in multiple awesome swimsuits—including the now-iconic purple and yellow two-piece seen in the cover shot above. Needless to say, she looked flawless.

“She’s a champion for all women,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day said of Graham at the time of her debut. “There’s no denying that Ashley Graham brings something different to the table. It’s exciting to meet someone who can totally handle this moment, take it, and amplify it, all because of who she is and how she celebrates herself.”

Camille Kostek - 2019

Camille Kostek photographed by Josie Clough in Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by MESHKI. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

SI Swimsuit began its open casting call, dubbed “Swim Search,” in 2018, seeing Camille Kostek as co-winner and then gracing the 2019 cover. The model, who has now posed for the magazine for eight years in a row, made history as the first Swim Search co-winner to land a cover, posing for photographer Josie Clough in Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Wearing a sage green string two-piece, she looked as gorgeous as ever on the beaches down under.

Kostek now looks back at the moment warmly, calling it her favorite SI Swimsuit photo shoot she’s ever done—at least, she said that in 2023 before her Legends photo shoot in 2024. “It really was like stepping into a storybook,” she said. “It was the most euphoric day of my life, and that photoshoot ended up being my first ever cover for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit and one of the best years of my life.”

2019 - Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

Tyra Banks made her debut with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit three decades ago when posing for Walter Iooss Jr. in the Florida Keys in 1993 and has now posed for the brand eight times. The supermodel and entrepreneur, now 50, is known for her history-making moments with the brand, serving as the first Black model to land a solo cover in 1997. In 2019, Banks had another major moment when coming out of modeling retirement to pose for our cover. She was photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma, Bahamas rocking a stunning yellow micro two-piece suit.

“There is this stereotype that only a 20-year-old woman in a bikini is hot,” Banks said at the time. “Like once we reach a certain age, we are no longer desirable. But I want to show that modeling has no age. I’m coming out of retirement to practice what I preach.”

Leyna Bloom - 2021

Leyna Bloom was photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla. Swimsuit by Gil Rodriguez. Earrings and rings by SOKO. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit celebrated another historic moment in 2021 with Leyna Bloom’s history-making cover. Serving as the brand’s first transgender woman to land on the cover, the actress-model joined Swim as a rookie and has posed for the magazine a total of four times now. Photographed by Yu Tsai in Tampa, Fla., Bloom wore a gorgeous white one-piece with a plunging neckline and front-tie belt.

“You’ve got to really take up space,” Bloom said after landing the cover. “If it’s your moment to shine, even if you got five seconds, take up that space. You don’t know who’s looking at you, who is inspired by you, who is like, ‘I finally found the one that looks like me, that feels like me, that comes from where I come from, and they are doing it.’”

Kim Kardashian - 2022

Kim Kardashian was photographed by Greg Swales in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by SKIMS. Sunglasses by Hall of Frames. Gloves by SKIMS. / Greg Swales/Sports Illustrated

Considering her global influence, it may come as a surprise that reality TV star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian didn’t make her SI Swimsuit debut until 2022. For her incredible debut with the brand, she landed on the cover, wearing a nude micro two-piece and matching gloves in the gorgeous waters of the Dominican Republic photographed by Greg Swales. Kardashian, of course, repped her shapewear brand SKIMS while doing so. The beauty mogul has truly shaped what it means to be an “influencer” and has used her platform in recent years for prison reform advocacy and awareness for other causes.

Kardashian used her SI Swimsuit cover as an opportunity to write a letter to her younger self. “It's easy to say to just ignore the criticism, but another thing you'll learn is that at some point it will click in your head that it's not about you anymore,” she wrote. “It’s about family. It’s about helping other people. For years you’ll be putting yourself out there (wait until Instagram comes along). I’m not saying you shouldn’t; it’s all so fun and embarrassing and amazing and stupid. But you’re going to become a more private person and you’re going to come to realize that the way to get your story out there—the actual narrative, the truth—isn’t by engaging but by doing.”

Martha Stewart - 2023

Martha Stewart was photographed by Ruven Afanador in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Monday Swimwear. Cover-up by TORSO CREATIONS. Earrings by Anita Ko. Ring by Jacob & Co. Towel by Zimmermann. / Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated

Speaking of cultural icons, Martha Stewart graced the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit when making her debut in 2023. The businesswoman, best known for her Martha Stewart Living magazine along with her many books and TV shows, made history as the brand’s oldest cover star at the age of 81. Stewart, now 83, posed for Ruven Afanador in the Dominican Republic, wearing a timeless plunging white one-piece and stunning orange cover-up. She returned to the brand this year as a “Legend.”

“I thought, ‘This is kind of historic’ and ‘I better look really good because I want other women to feel that they could also be on the cover of Sports Illustrated,’” Stewart said during her 2023 shoot. “But I’m telling you, it’s very inspiring to take a look at a [picture by photographer] Ruven [Afanador] of Martha Stewart in the ocean here at Casa de Campo and see something really gorgeous.”

Gayle King - 2024

Gayle King was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico. Swimsuit by EVARAE. Coverup EVARAE. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Last but not least is Gayle King, TV legend who has been co-hosting CBS Mornings since joining the network in 2012. The Emmy Award-winning journalist has broken barriers with her hard-hitting work and is among one of the most influential people in media today. For her 2024 cover, King posed for Yu Tsai in Mexico, looking beautiful in a uniquely patterned one-piece featuring built-in cups and a matching flowy cover-up. She also posed for our 60th anniversary “Legends” cover alongside Stewart and other brand icons.

“I never in a million years thought I would be standing here in a bathing suit for Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit], but here I am, which says to me that sometimes people can dream, God can dream, the universe can dream a bigger dream than you can ever think for yourself,” King said earlier this year. “I would have never thought this was possible. This was nowhere on my bucket list. So I’m thinking maybe it was a dream that I didn’t even know I wanted because now that I’m here, I want it bad.”

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