6 Mesmerizing Images of SI Swim Legend Camille Kostek That Prove Red Is Her Color

The Swim Search alumnus and 2019 cover girl has posed for the magazine seven years in a row.

Camille Kostek was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Camille Kostek has established herself as a legend in the world of SI Swimsuit. After winning the Swim Search in 2018 and nailing her debut photo shoot in Belize, the Connecticut native graced the cover of the magazine just one year later. She became the first open casting call rookie to achieve a coveted front page. Her 2019 cover shoot in Kangaroo Island, Australia, was a career-defining moment that catapulted her into global stardom and solidified her status as a household name.

Since then, Kostek has posed for the franchise every year, showcasing her contagious positive energy and undeniable charisma in stunning locations like St. Croix, Portugal and the Dominican Republic. Her journey from NFL cheerleader to global modeling sensation exemplifies her resilience and dedication to her craft. Along the way, she has championed body positivity and inspired countless fans to embrace their unique beauty.

In 2024, Kostek reached a major milestone, joining 26 other icons in the brand’s special 60th anniversary issue. The feature marked her seventh year with the franchise—a journey she describes as nothing short of extraordinary.

“It’s still really setting in. I have looked up to the legends for so long, even before I’d been welcomed into the SI Swimsuit family as a rookie ... and to now be a legend,” she reflected on the title while on location with photographer Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. “This is my seventh year shooting for the magazine—my lucky seventh. This means more to me than I think a lot of people would understand. On a surface level, you think of a woman in a bikini in a magazine. At a young age, I saw these women who instilled confidence in me, who showed me that you can be more than a model. These women are moguls, they’re entrepreneurs, they’re personalities, they’re game changers. All of the women behind SI Swimsuit, they’re incredible. It really is a sisterhood. It’s a family.”

Kostek credits SI Swimsuit with giving her a platform to inspire confidence and self-acceptance in others, just as the brand once did for her. “What the magazine did for me at such a young age, allowing me to embrace my hips and my freckles and just whatever made me, me – I can now be that for someone else, kind of like leaving a little piece of my legacy,” she shared. “It is all I could ask for, and more.”

Beyond modeling, the former Maxim cover girl has expanded her influence as a jewelry and swimwear designer and the co-founder of Voomerang, a digital sweepstakes platform supporting charities by connecting them with celebrities and impactful initiatives.

Today we’re taking a look back at several of her previous photo shoots, each more mesmerizing than the last. Here are some of our favorite red hot looks from Kostek over the years.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize. Swimsuit by INDAH CLOTHING. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Private Party. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Camille Kostek was photographed by Kate Powers in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Amazon Fashion. / Kate Powers/Sports Illustrated

Camille Kostek was photographed by James Macari in the Dominican Republic. Swimsuit by Swim by Di. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Camille Kostek was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Solid & Striped. Earrings by Jennifer Behr. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Camille Kostek was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Hunza G. / / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated