Martha Stewart Spoke of SI Swimsuit Cover as ’Inspirational’ Mission Following Debut

The lifestyle entrepreneur emphasized “successful living” in the aftermath of her 2023 feature.

Martha Stewart was photographed by Ruven Afanador in the Dominican Republic. / Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated

If the recent release of Martha, the new documentary detailing Martha Stewart’s life and career, has taught us anything about the powerful lifestyle media figure, it’s that she’s not afraid to tell all. At 83 years old, she’s effectively an open book. Ask her about her experiences, and she will relay them in detail. Ask her how she feels about the new Netflix film? She won’t mince her words.

So it comes as no surprise that the television personality, when first confronted with her 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover, told it exactly how it was. “I like that picture,” she simply said on the set of Today. It was her first time seeing the cover—and she was pleased with it. She had every reason to be, too. It was a glamorous shot of the then 81-year-old, wearing a bright white one-piece and a brilliant orange cover-up on set in the Dominican Republic.

With the 2023 cover photo shoot, Stewart became the oldest model in brand history. And that’s no small feat, either. Her decision to join the cast of the annual magazine was impressive—and inspirational, too. The entrepreneur and businesswoman never thought herself too old to pose for the issue (or take the front cover of the magazine). That, in fact, is indicative of her approach to life and work more generally.

In all things, Stewart has a self-improvement mindset. “There's every opportunity to make yourself feel and look better than you think you could,” she told TODAY.com.

And she’s not referring to the use of specific products or procedures. “It’s not about successful aging,” she said. “It’s about successful living.”

That was the message Stewart hoped to send with her SI Swimsuit feature. More than anything, she wanted to prove to people that age really is just a number. It doesn’t have to (and perhaps shouldn’t) stop you from chasing down your goals and ambitions. “I hope this is inspirational to women in general and also to men, because everybody really should be living successfully and living well,” she remarked.

We may be biased, but we think that Stewart more than accomplished her goal to inspire others. Her photo shoot was a roaring success—but not simply because it proved that age shouldn’t be a barrier to opportunity. It also left us with some incredible photos. Here are just a couple.

Martha Stewart was photographed by Ruven Afanador in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Yves Saint Laurent . Cover-up by Valentino. Earrings by Anita Ko. / Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated

Martha Stewart was photographed by Ruven Afanador in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Anemos provided by Moda Operandi. Necklace by Anita Ko. / Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated