Birthday Girl Kate Love’s Best SI Swimsuit Moments in Belize

The brand legend was photographed in the Central American country for the 2022 issue.

Kate Love was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Kate Love has been an SI Swimsuit Issue staple since her rookie photo shoot in Easter Island, Chile. The year was 2013, and the Vancouver native traveled to the South American country to pose for photographer David Burton.

The resulting spread earned the model Rookie of the Year honors, and a spot in the annual issue for a total of 10 consecutive years. She was photographed for the magazine each year through 2022, and earned a cover spot on the 2020 magazine alongside fellow brand stars Olivia Culpo and Jasmine Sanders. After a year away from the fold following her trip to Belize, Love returned to the SI Swimsuit Issue in 2024, when she was named a brand legend.

In addition to her long-running work with SI Swimsuit, Love has collaborated with notable brands like Victoria’s Secret, Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic. She originally got started in the industry in her native Canada as a preteen, and moved to Paris at the age of 18 to pursue her modeling career. She quickly found runway success and the rest is history.

Today, Jan. 30, in honor of Love’s 38th birthday, we’re looking back at her 2022 SI Swimsuit Issue photo shoot in Central America, which marked the model’s 10th consecutive brand feature. Photographed by Yu Tsai, Love’s gallery from Belize showcases the natural beauty of the location, including jungles and lagoons, which inspired the styling on set.

That year, Love reflected upon her personal growth throughout her time with SI Swimsuit, noting that each year, she too took inspiration from the location when it came time to step in front of the camera. She also learned plenty on set through the years that she was able to apply more broadly to her modeling career.

“I’ve gotten all these opportunities to really learn and grow with Sports Illustrated. I started coming to shoots with mood boards,” Love stated. “I think it helped me kind of hone in on my creativity because every year is a little bit different based on the location, the photographer or just the weather and the vibe that we have, the swimsuits. It allowed my creativity and understanding of this industry to really flourish. I think every year I become more comfortable with myself and with my body. And they also know me so much better. I’m more comfortable asking questions. I now get to use what I’ve learned in so many other projects.”

Below, take a look back at a few of our favorite snapshots of Love in Belize.

Kate Love was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize. Swimsuit by Agua by Agua Bendita. Earrings and bracelet by Viktoria Hayman. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Kate Love was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize. Swimsuit by Montce. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Kate Love was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize. Swimsuit by Norma Kamali. Necklace by Viktoria Hayman. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Kate Love was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize. Swimsuit by Agua by Agua Bendita. Earrings by Virgins Saints & Angels. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Kate Love was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize. Swimsuit by Agua by Agua Bendita. Earrings and bracelet by Viktoria Hayman. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

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