Olivia Dunne, Ashley Graham and Other SI Swimsuit Models Recap Their Best Moments of 2025

From major career accomplishments to red carpet moments and more, these women took the year by storm and are preparing for an even more successful 2026.
Olivia Dunne and Ashley Graham
Olivia Dunne and Ashley Graham / Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

The confetti has finally settled, and 2026 has arrived. Before raising a glass of champagne and ringing in the New Year earlier this week, several SI Swimsuit models took some time for a bit of reflection. A few models took to Instagram to share what lessons they’re taking away from 2025, while others took the opportunity to look back at their favorite ‘fits from the past 365 days.

Either way, we’re here for it, and as always, we’re sharing a few of our favorite SI Swimsuit model Instagram moments from this week with you below.

Ashley Graham

For Graham, SI Swimsuit’s 2016 cover model, this year was all about progression in many different forms. “2025 taught me that progress doesn’t always look loud,” the 38-year-old mom of three wrote atop the first photo in her carousel. “Sometimes it looks like rest. Sometimes it looks like the work no one sees. And sometimes it looks liked fueling up for what’s next.”

Her post featured snapshots from some major moments this year, including hosting the Golden Globes red carpet, posing for her V Magazine cover, walking the Victoria’s Secret runway, launching a collection with JCPenney and soaking up sweet moments with her family and friends.

Katie Austin

Austin, who has posed for the issue each year since 2021, chose to look back on the year through a fashion lens, sharing “some safe, some risky 😜” of her favorite outfits with her 470,000 followers. Her selections included an incredibly daring dress for the EPSYs, a sweet pink number for a friend’s wedding, the bejeweled JÉBLANC dress she rocked for her SI Swimsuit feature in Bermuda, a vintage Roberto Cavalli dress for the CMAs red carpet and more.

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Olivia Dunne

This was Dunne’s year, as the former collegiate gymnast wrapped up her career at LSU by taking home the SEC Championship title in the spring alongside her teammates. Shortly thereafter, the 23-year-old New Jersey native was named one of SI Swimsuit’s 2025 cover models. Other notable moments represented in Dunne’s “025 wrapped🤸‍♀️👙🌭” Instagram post included a nod to her TIME100 Creators honor, snippets from the Swim Week runway and several snapshots with her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes.

Emily DiDonato

DiDonato, who most recently posed for SI Swimsuit in 2021, took some time to reflect upon “what 2025 taught [her] about energy, joy and letting go” in her Dec. 27 post. A few major lessons, she mused throughout her carousel, included learning how to say “no” in order to conserve her energy, appreciating the quiet moments and making time for rest.


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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.