Q&A With SI Swimsuit Legend Kate Upton

The model graces her fourth brand cover with the publication of the 60th anniversary issue.

Kate Upton was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Maria Lucia Hohan. Shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai /Sports Illustrated

Turning 60 has never looked so good. To celebrate the big milestone in style, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit called upon 27 “Legends”—women of all ages, sizes, tribes and backgrounds—who epitomize trailblazing influence and game-changing impact. 

From supermodel OGs who made their first splash on the magazine’s glossy pages in the 1970s and ’80s to stars newer to the SI Swimsuit sisterhood—the Legends symbolize diversity, inclusivity, empowerment and self-love.  

“The Legends hold the power to represent the collective us,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day says. “Each one has played a significant role in the brand’s last 10 years, holding important conversations that have helped shift societal perceptions and led to incredible change for women.” 

The Legends had plenty to say in their one-on-one interviews, held during a three-day SI Swimsuit event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., where photo shoots for the 60th anniversary issue were underway amidst a flurry of glam teams, wardrobe stylists and veteran fashion lensmen. The Legends were unfiltered, funny, wise, compassionate, profound, and at times, searingly honest—proving that a woman’s inner beauty is her most important superpower of all.   

See more from the Legends photo shoot here.

Kate Upton joined the SI Swimsuit family in 2011, when she earned Rookie of the Year honors following her two features in the issue. The next year, the 31-year-old landed her first cover with the magazine. This year marks her fourth.

What does being a SI Swimsuit Legend mean to you?

“It’s such an honor to even be referred to as a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Legend. It was a huge goal at the beginning of my career, and to be sitting here now, surrounded by all these Legends, is really surreal. I was lucky enough to do a similar shoot for the 50th, and now to return for the 60th is such an honor.”

Describe yourself in three words.

“Outgoing, emotional and complicated.”

Kate Upton was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Maria Lucia Hohan. Shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai /Sports Illustrated

View Kate Upton’s Mexico photo gallery here. View her Legends photo gallery here.

What do you love most about being a woman?

“I love everything about being a woman. We are capable of anything. I have a daughter, and seeing her grow up, I want her to feel empowered in her skin. It’s commonly spoken about for men in terms of their sexuality, success and ambition, but women can have all those things, too. We’re capable of so much, and there’s no end in sight for what women can achieve.”

What do you love most about being yourself?

“I love my strength. It’s been put to the test throughout the years, and I keep wanting to grow, searching for more, and standing back up. I am always appreciative of that.”

Kate Upton and Lily Aldridge were photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Kate’s dress by Maria Lucia Hohan. Shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. Lily’s dress by Vivienne Westwood. Shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. Jewelry by Ettika. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

What are you most excited about right now in your life?

“I’m most excited about learning and growing, especially as a mother. There’s constant change and growth in my family, and experiencing that growth together is thrilling.”