5 Stunning Photos Through SI Swimsuit History That Prove Blue Is Kate Upton’s Color

The brand legend looks great in everything, but there’s something about blue that has us mesmerized.

Kate Upton was photographed by Yu Tsai in Aruba. Swimsuit by PilyQ. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Model-actress Kate Upton changed the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit brand forever when she first posed for the magazine in the Philippines in 2011. The following year, the Michigan native landed the cover after being photographed by Walter Iooss Jr. in Australia, which received backlash from readers who wrongfully believed she didn’t have the right body type for the role. The gorgeous photo shoot, which saw Upton rock vibrant colors and trendy styles on the beach and in the ocean, is one of our all-time favorites, and its reception forced a change for the magazine.

As explained by SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day, Upton “was the catalyst for the change” once realizing the warped beauty standards people had at the time—and in many ways, sadly, still do. The model, who has appeared on the cover multiple times since 2012, hasn’t just inspired women worldwide but also the brand, which prioritizes diversity and inclusion for all sizes and skin colors.

There are so many incredible photos we could highlight when reminiscing on Upton’s journey with SI Swimsuit so far, but one pattern we noticed when looking back at her photo shoots is the fact that she looks so gorgeous in blue. The hue, which accentuates her crystalline blue eyes, has appeared in many of her shoots over the years and we’re simply mesmerized. Take a walk down memory lane with us as we prove to you that blue is, without a doubt, Upton’s color.

Kate Upton was photographed by Yu Tsai in Aruba. Swimsuit by PilyQ. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

For the 2018 magazine, Upton traveled to Aruba where she was photographed by Yu Tsai in this lovely shade of blue. Matching not only her eyes but the ocean behind her, the image is simply breathtaking.

Kate Upton was photographed by Stewart Shining in Apalachicola, Fla. / Stewart Shining/Sports Illustrated

In 2012, Upton was featured in the magazine after posing for photographer Stewart Shining in Apalachicola, Fla., where she rocked this fabulous and feminine blue polka-dot two-piece.

Kate Upton was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico. Swimsuit by Agent Provocateur. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

For the 2024 feature, Upton was photographed in Mexico by Tsai again, this time looking sun-kissed and stunning as ever in this unique, sexy blue cut-out two-piece.

Kate Upton was photographed by Raphael Mazzucco in the Philippines / Raphael Mazzucco

Upton made her SI Swimsuit debut in the 2011 issue where she looked fresh-faced and beautiful in the waters of the Philippines and was photographed by Raphael Mazzucco. In this image, she wore a sweet blue and white floral string two-piece.

Kate Upton was photographed by James Macari in the Cook Islands. Swimsuit by Kate Swim. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Last but certainly not least, Upton also proved she looks great in neon as she posed on the shores of the Cook Islands for James Macari’s lens, featured in the 2014 issue.

Upton, who returned to SI Swimsuit in 2024 not only for her Mexico photo shoot but also to be featured as a brand legend, posing alongside 26 other brand icons in Hollywood, Fla., reflected on her time with the magazine. “When I look back [at] my first cover in 2012, I was 19-years-old. And now I’m 31 and shooting [for] the 60th anniversary [issue] and so much in my life has changed,” she said last year. “Personally, I have a daughter, I have a great husband and a really full life, not just my career.”

“Looking [at] how the industry has changed since my first year to now is a really exciting conversation because so many things that I struggled with, people are shocked to hear I struggled with, which is such a sign of where the world is now—how inclusive everyone is, how offended people are when people say rude things about your body,” Upton added. “That should have always been, but now that’s the norm and it’s really exciting to be with the brand that promotes that.”