The women flipped through the 50th Anniversary coffee table book and revealed their favorite covers, featuring legends like Tyra Banks and Kate Upton.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images and Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
In honor of Women’s History Month, five former and current models are revealing their favorite SI Swimsuit covers of all time.
Camille Kostek, Brooks Nader, Kelsey Merritt, Nyma Tang and Valentina Sampaio flipped through SI Swimsuit’s 50th anniversary coffee table book, 50 Years of Beautiful, filled with five decades’ worth of content dating back to the early 1960s. The women gushed about their favorite covers and listed which iconic models inspired them to want to work with the brand.
“My favorite cover is 2008 Marisa Miller,” Kostek says. “Just look at her. Wow.”
Raphael Mazzucco/Sports Illustrated
Kostek made her SI Swimsuit debut as part of the 2018 Swim Search program and landed the cover as a rookie in ’19 after being photographed by Josie Clough in Australia.
“I had a cover of Kate Upton and I cut a picture of my face out and I put it on her body,” Kostek admits. “What I didn’t realize was that I was manifesting a cover. Now I don’t have to stick my face on [anyone else’s]. I have my own cover.”
Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated
Merritt, a social media influencer who has recently been nailing her street style, made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2019, having previously walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret.
“I really love the 1977 Lena Kansbod [cover],” the three-time SI Swimsuit model says. “[Look at] how happy and real it looks.”
Art Kane/Sports Illustrated
Merritt adds that the first few SI Swimsuit covers she came across were of Kate Upton, who landed three in six years. She noted that Upton’s 2013 Antarctica photo shoot resulted in one of the most “iconic” covers.
Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated
Nader just wrapped up her fifth SI Swimsuit photo shoot. The experience was extra special as she was photographed in the Dominican Republic on her birthday.
“I love Heidi Klum’s cover [from] 1998,” Nader says. “I mean… come on.”
Robert Erdmann/Sports Illustrated
“I would have to say my favorite cover ever is Ms. Tyra Banks,” gushes Tang about the three-time SI Swimsuit cover star’s 1997 pic. “I love her, looking all snatched.”
Russell James/Sports Illustrated
“Beyoncé looks amazing too, but she always looks amazing,” says Tang, who made her magazine debut in 2021.
“This one was the first I saw,” says Sampaio, pointing at Carol Alt’s 1982 cover photo in a red one-piece, which was captured in Kenya. “I love the picture.”
John G. Zimmerman/Sports Illustrated
“I could stare at this book all day,” Kostek says. Next year, 2023 will be the brand’s 60th anniversary!
Make sure to follow SI Swimsuit on YouTube!
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Education News Click Here
