Your Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2020 Cover Models Are Kate Bock, Jasmine Sanders and Olivia Culpo
It has been a long, long wait, but the time has finally come. Kate Bock, Jasmine Sanders and Olivia Culpo are your SI Swimsuit 2020 cover models. The trio was photographed by Yu Tsai in one of the most beautiful places in the world in Bali, Indonesia, back in November. Did we mention the best part? Not only are we giving you one cover showcasing these extraordinary and empowering women together, but we also have three additional covers, one of each model individually. This marks a first for the brand: Three powerful women. Four incredible covers. One groundbreaking issue.
“These three women who make up the 2020 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue are inherently unique but a solidarity exists among them in terms of their ambitions, goals and what they stand for,” says SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day.
Nine years ago, Kate Bock was driving through her hometown in Vancouver, when she got the news she had been booked to appear in SI Swim. She remembers pulling over to take in the surreal moment with her sister and cousin, screaming with joy. Little did she know she’d go on to spend almost a decade shooting in the world’s most beautiful destinations, winning 2013 Swimsuit Rookie of the Year, and now appearing on not one but two covers.
Kate has been a health and wellness guru long before it was trendy. Born with a mind for branding, she has been a true asset to SI Swimsuit and its evolution toward building a franchise beyond just the magazine pages. We often refer to our models as family because we cherish, care and support them as if they were our own. We also encourage them to be a part of the brand’s business with a constant flow of ideas between us and them. It wouldn’t come as a shock to find Kate Bock in one of our boardrooms helping us brainstorm. “Kate is one of the best brand ambassadors and idea collaborators we’ve worked with,” says Day. “On top of her extensive work as an advocate for mental health and wellness, she has played a pivotal role as a creative and business savvy collaborator for SI Swimsuit.”
Click here to see more of Kate Bock.
Jasmine Sanders is no stranger to the world of modeling, having started her career at the age of 13. Sanders made a splash last year in her first appearance in SI Swim, winning Rookie of the Year for her shoot in Costa Rica. She’s continued to make an impact as part of the SI Swimsuit family, from speaking on panels at our launch events to spending hours interviewing, connecting and inspiring Swim Search hopefuls.
If you’re one of the 3.9 million people who follow Jasmine (aka Golden Barbie) on social media, you’ll see her steadfast commitment to fighting for social justice. She uses her platform to provide resources on actions that can be taken—how to donate, sign petitions and more—to educate her fans, all the while sharing her experience as a Black woman in America.
Click here to see more of Jasmine Sanders.
“Jasmine is never about Jasmine. Jasmine is about the people who surround her, and her innate desire to go out of her way to make the people who love and support her know that feeling is mutual,” says Day. “Evident from the fact she has amassed millions of fans across social media and champions for the Black, Brown and marginalized communities, using her voice in the most powerful way possible in times and places where it matters most, Jasmine is a true phenomenon.”
Olivia Culpo had a powerful start to her journey with SI Swim, one that included WOMAN written across her chest in black paint. Unlike most of our rookie shoots, Culpo’s first SI Swimsuit experience took place not on a beach but in a photo studio in Brooklyn for the “In Her Own Words” feature in 2018. The narrative of IHOW was dictated by the nine women who participated in the project, as they chose a variety of words that spoke to their journeys as women. After making waves with the impactful words painted on her body, she joined us in Australia in 2019 and Bali for the 2020 issue.
Olivia has built an influential platform and garnered millions of followers on Instagram, a space that she has used as a launching pad for many successful projects. Most recently, in response to COVID-19, Culpo created More Than A Mask. The company is a line of fashion face coverings, and 100% of the proceeds go to Feeding America. Culpo’s résumé is endless. She is an advocate, fashion designer, actress, entrepreneur—and now an SI Swimsuit cover model.
Click here to see more of Olivia Culpo.
“Olivia Culpo is one of the hardest working people in the industry. I have never seen her give anything less than 200% toward whatever goal she sets for herself. Her accomplishments speak to that and are vast and impressive,” Day says. “It gives me great joy to celebrate such an exemplary professional and hardworking individual whose unapologetic enthusiasm will shine from the cover of our magazine. We are excited to have Olivia represent our brand in a way that celebrates the multifaceted women who pursue their dreams and fill the pages of our issue.”
“These women are limitless and unstoppable, and collectively represent the next wave of moguls to come out of the franchise,” says Day.
Can’t get enough of your 2020 cover girls? Hear more from Kate Bock, Jasmine Sanders and Olivia Culpo below.
MEET YOUR COVER GIRL: KATE BOCK
MEET YOUR COVER GIRL: JASMINE SANDERS
MEET YOUR COVER GIRL: OLIVIA CULPO
The fun has just begun! Be sure to check back on Tuesday, July 21, for the full SI Swimsuit 2020 experience. Join us on our journey around the world with 33 extraordinary women. Welcome back Emily DiDonato out West in Wyoming. Follow along with Hunter McGrady in Bali. Soak up the sun with Samantha Hoopes in Scrub Island. Head to the Dominican Republic with Kelsey Merritt. Watch dreams come true for our six Swim Search finalists in Turks & Caicos. And take a deep dive with three sensational athletes!
Can’t wait? Preorder your copy of SI Swimsuit 2020 today. swimsuit.si.com/issues
And get your supersize poster of the trio cover here. shoptrends.com/shop-by-license/sports-illustrated