Swimsuit

Red Is Kate Upton’s Color in These 6 Bikini Pics

The legendary SI Swimsuit model landed her first of three covers in 2012.

Cara O’Bleness

Kate Upton

Kate Upton was photographed by Walter Iooss Jr. in Sydney/Cairns, Australia. 

It’s safe to say Kate Upton is an absolute SI Swimsuit legend. The model first posed for the publication in 2011, when she double-dipped for a beachside photoshoot in the Philippines, in addition to a bodypaint feature in a New York studio. The duo of incredible spreads earned Upton Rookie of the Year honors. 

When she returned to the fold the following year, Upton made such an impression that she landed the cover of the magazine after her photoshoot in Sydney/Cairns, Australia with Walter Iooss Jr. She starred in two features again that year, also posing in Florida. 

Over her time with SI Swimsuit, the 31-year-old mom of one went on to land three covers with the magazine, including an unforgettable photo from a set of snaps in Antarctica in 2013 and a stunning spread in Fiji four years later.

Despite her extensive experience with the magazine, and with modeling in general (she has also worked with Donna Karan, Tory Burch, Neiman Marcus and many other notable brands), Upton admitted to Yahoo Style in 2017 that she was “still not confident in a bathing suit.”

“That’s why you eat healthy and work out, to feel your best,” she told the outlet. “You always have struggles. It’s not like I always feel my best. Everybody has moments where they don’t feel confident in a bikini. It’s what we’re striving for: self-love. We work our way up. When I don’t feel my best, that’s O.K.”

Below are a few of our favorite photos from Upton’s first SI Swimsuit Issue cover feature, in which she rocked the color of the current season: red.

Kate Upton
Kate Upton
Kate Upton
Kate Upton
Kate Upton
Kate Upton

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Published
Cara O’Bleness

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara 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, Cara 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.