Every Cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

In January 1964, Babette March appeared on the cover of the very first SI Swimsuit Issue, the start of 60 plus years of iconic magazine cover images celebrating women.

Exuding confidence, beauty, resilience and joy, every SI Swimsuit cover personifies a woman standing in her true power. Witness Tyra Banks’s return to the SI Swimsuit cover in 2019 at the age of 45, shattering any preconceived notion that age could ever dim anyone’s beauty. Or look at Kate Upton’s magnificent 2013 cover shot in Antarctica, which helped to launch her into superstardom.

Trailblazing decade after decade, the cover of SI Swimsuit has proved to be one of the most impactful platforms upon which any model, musician or athlete can land. It’s a history-making star turn. Case in point: in 2021, Leyna Bloom, Megan Thee Stallion and Naomi Osaka, three women of color, became the first transgender model, the first rapper and the first Black female athlete, respectively, to appear on the cover.

In 2024, SI Swimsuit introduced a digital issue featuring inaugural cover model Alix Earle, continuing to expand on the magazine’s legacy. Since its inception, the digital issue has featured athletes Ilona Maher and Hailey Van Lith, as well as celebrities Brianna LaPaglia and Jessie Murph. For the first digital issue of 2026, SI Swimsuit spotlighted the WAGs of the NFL, including Normani, Brittany Mahomes, Christen Goff, Claire Kittle, Ronika Love and Haley Cavinder. The most recent digital issue saw Grammy Award winner Lizzo on the cover for the July 2026 edition, following her surprise appearance at the 2026 SI Swimsuit Runway Show.

Scroll down and go back in time to discover the evolution and inception of one of the world’s most sought-after (and most viewed) franchises in history and celebrate the long-lasting tradition that is SI Swimsuit.