From Newcomer to Icon: the SI Swimsuit Photos That Put Camille Kostek on the Map

The brand legend landed on the cover of the 2019 issue after her shoot with Josie Clough in Australia.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Camille Kostek’s 2019 SI Swimsuit cover changed her life. Captured by Josie Clough on the sun-drenched beaches of Kangaroo Island, Australia, the stunning, fierce image became an instant classic and a defining moment for the model, who just one year prior had made her debut with the magazine and was named co-winner of the first-ever open casting call.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough in Australia. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

With her radiant smile, signature curves and grounded authenticity, Kostek became the face of a new era for the franchise: one centered around self-love, inclusion and empowerment.

“The cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, that photo put me on the map internationally in 2019,” the 33-year-old recalled. “It literally changed my life. Whenever I’m feeling lost or looking for a new direction or not sure where I’m going to go next in life, that photo [is a] reminder of all the things I had to get through personally to be in a space where I could glow and be recognized.”

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Monica Hansen Beachwear. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Her journey to becoming a cover girl was anything but easy. After facing repeated rejections from agencies that pressured her to change her body, Kostek took a leap of faith and entered the Swim Search as an unsigned model. The former NFL cheerleader flew herself to New York for callbacks with just a few hundred dollars in her bank account, clinging to the dream she’d had since she was a teenager. That big “yes” from SI Swimsuit was a major personal and professional turning point.

In the years since, the TV Host has become a defining figure of the brand, returning for every issue since her debut and earning official “legend” status in 2024—an honor that felt both surreal and deeply full-circle.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

“I have looked up to the legends for so long, even before I’d been welcomed into the SI Swimsuit family as a rookie,” she reflected. “These women are moguls, they’re entrepreneurs, they’re personalities, they’re game changers.”

Now, as one of them, she said, “I almost feel like I’ve been inducted into the SI Swimsuit Hall of Fame.”

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by SHE MADE ME. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

“Living out these dreams has been incredible and beyond,” Kostek added. “What the magazine did for me at such a young age, allowing me to embrace my hips and my freckles and just whatever made me, me – I can now be that for someone else, kind of like leaving a little piece of my legacy.”

The Connecticut native traveled the globe with the team, posing in Belize, Portugal, St. Croix, the Dominican Republic and, most recently, Switzerland for her appearance in this May’s magazine. But it’s that 2019 shoot—the string bikini, the sunlit waves, the moment she claimed her worth—that remains etched in her story.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Are You Am I. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

Kostek’s rise from aspiring model to cover star and beyond is a testament to what happens when confidence meets opportunity. Her legacy with SI Swimsuit is built on more than just beauty—it’s rooted in resilience, joy, and the belief that you don’t have to change who you are to achieve your dreams.

Camille Kostek was photographed by Josie Clough on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Swimsuit by Agua Bendita. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated