Katie Austin Was a Beachside Barbie in the Dominican Republic

The fitness guru has posed for the SI Swimsuit issue four years in a row.

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

In honor of the return of SI Swimsuit‘s open casting call, we’re taking a look back at Katie Austin’s beachside Barbiecore feature in the Dominican Republic last year.

The four-time brand star made her debut in 2021 when she applied to the Swim Search and ended up co-winning it alongside bff and model Christen Harper. The fitness guru, who has built a successful online brand sharing high and low impact workout videos, nutritious recipes and lifestyle content, returned to the fold the following three years, traveling to Montenegro with James Macari in ’22, after which she won the coveted co-Rookie of the Year title.

This year, for the special 60th anniversary issue, the 31-year-old, who got married to longtime boyfriend Lane Armstrong in May, traded the beautiful blue skies, crystal clear waters and sandy shores of her past shoots for the breathtaking landscapes and lush green vineyards of Porto and the North, Portugal, where she posed for visual artist Ben Watts.

“It’s an honor to be in the issue year one, right? And then winning Swim Search was really a crazy moment. I feel like that was, like, the most insane experience of my life, especially winning it with my best friend. But now, year three, it’s just such an honor to be invited back. And I feel so, just so happy with where I’m at with the brand, to be honest, because I feel so much more confident. I feel like the first year, I was like, you go into it so much more nervous. And you don’t know what to expect,” the 30-year-old shared in 2023. “ ... And the second year is like, O.K., I got this. Let’s do this. And then you’re just so excited the whole time. But this year, I really just took every moment in. On my shoot, I just was so comfortable. I was so confident.”

Today, the Virginia native and Los Angeles resident, who is a certified fitness trainer uses her platform to share her knowledge with the world, while also encouraging a balanced lifestyle, including fun moments and sweet treats—because she knows being perfect all the time isn’t sustainable.

Below are some of our favorite images from her photo shoot with James Macari in the Dominican Republic last year. From vibrant, colorful suits to hot pink moments to crochet creations, Austin, who recently launched a cooking show Come On In, looked absolutely radiant and confident.

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Sommer Swim. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Asta Resort. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by HAUS OF PINKLEMONAID. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Knix. Bracelets by Alexis Bittar. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Katie Austin was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Montce. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated