Olivia Dunne Gives SI Swimsuit Rookies the Best Advice We Wouldn’t Have Thought of

What does the cover model believe is key to slaying an SI Swimsuit shoot? She shares her insight on the red carpet.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Before Olivia Dunne was an SI Swimsuit cover girl for the 2025 issue, she was making her debut in 2023 in Puerto Rico and being featured as a rookie in 2024 with a shoot in Portugal.

Because she knows firsthand how it feels to be a newbie, Dunne is a great person for SI Swimsuit newcomers to look to for advice. While on the red carpet ahead of the 2025 launch party at the Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 15, the 22-year-old shared insights into how to make the most out of a photo shoot for the magazine.

When asked what advice she had for future SI Swimsuit rookies, the former LSU gymnast highlighted the importance of order in swimsuits. “I’d say save your best bikini for later in the evening because [with] that first bikini, you’re just getting warmed up,” Dunne shared. “Then your last look [is] mwah. That’s when I got my cover shot.”

Olivia Dunne / Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images/Sports Illustrated

For the 2025 issue, the three-time brand star traveled to Bermuda, where she was photographed by Ben Watts. Though she didn’t know it would become her cover shoot, Dunne brought her A-game to set—and the photos truly speak for themselves.

As an athlete, Dunne has faced her fair share of cruel criticism surrounding her appearance. Over the years, she’s spoken out against internet trolls who judge young women for what they wear—including a leotard, her sports uniform. Through her SI Swimsuit journey, she’s become the most confident version of herself.

“The magazine is all about celebrating women and making them feel strong and confident, which I love," Dunne shared in 2023. “That’s something that’s really important, that a brand makes you feel comfortable, confident, and that you feel like you’re the best version of yourself, And that’s definitely what SI [Swimsuit] made me feel like. I felt like a better person leaving that shoot.”

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by Reina Olga. / Ben Watts/Bermuda

No matter what the swimsuit or pose is, so long as an SI Swimsuit rookie feels comfortable and confident, they’ll be able to deliver a fabulous photo shoot.

“SI Swim means to me being comfortable in your own skin and being undeniably you, which is something I still work on to this day,” the athlete previously expressed. “Body image is something that a lot of girls struggle with, especially young girls. In the sport of gymnastics, [body image is] a huge thing, and it’s something that I’m still working on to this day, being confident. But SI’s really helped me to see that it’s O.K. to not be perfect and to just be comfortable in your own skin.”

The 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue is available online and at select newsstands now. Order your copy here.

Olivia Dunne Content. View the Full 2025 Gallery. More Olivia Dunne. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1747133448/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jv4m9frgsejhcyx3t0.jpg. Meet the Cover Model. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746299707/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtbs5njpeadfy90dyk.jpg. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746299708/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtbs5nkwn7304qmdcc.jpg