Katherine Elizabeth Upton[2] (born June 10, 1992)[3] is an American model and actress. She first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2011, and was the cover model for the 2012, 2013 and 2017 issues. In addition, she was the subject of the 100th-anniversary Vanity Fair cover.
In 1999, Upton moved with her family to Melbourne, Florida,[2] where she was a student at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy.[11][12] As a young equestrian, she showed at the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) and competed at a national level.[13] With her horse Roanie,[14] she won three APHA Reserve World Championships– 13 and Under Western Riding, 13 and Under Horsemanship, and 14–18 Western Riding. She was named the 13 and Under Reserve All-Around Champion, giving her a total of four reserve championships (2nd place). In addition, Upton ended up third overall on the APHA youth Top Twenty.[15] With a second horse, Colby,[14] she won 14–18 Western Riding and was included in the top 5 in 14–18 Horsemanship and 14–18 Western Pleasure in 2009.[15]
Upton first modeled clothing for Garage and Dooney & Bourke.[16] She was the 2010–11 face of Guess.[17] In 2011, Upton appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[18] She was featured in the body paint section and named Rookie of the Year for the issue.[16] She has since modeled for Beach Bunny Swimwear,[1][19] and has appeared in Complex[20][21] and Esquire as "The Woman of the Summer".[22] Upton wore one of the Beach Bunny suits in the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[23]
In April 2011, an Internet video of her doing the dougie hip-hop dance at a Los Angeles Clippers game went viral and served to increase her popularity.[13][24][25] Guy Trebay of The New York Times observed that this served to illustrate the power of social media to bestow stardom upon a model, which had previously been the domain of top designer runway shows.[26] In April 2012, Upton appeared in a video of herself performing the Cat Daddy dance to the song of the same name by The Rej3ctz, which also went viral.[27]
Upton's acting debut was in the film, Tower Heist, as Mr.Hightower's mistress. It was released in November 2011.[30] She also appeared in The Three Stooges as Sister Bernice.[31]
Upton appeared on the cover of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, released in February 2012.[32][33] Upton has also recounted the negative aftereffects of the 2012 Sports Illustrated cover, as she was subjected to criticism and felt she had been objectified.[34]
In 2012, she was ranked the fifth-sexiest model by Models.com.[36] She ranked No. 3 on the American publication of AskMen's Top 99 Women for 2013.[37] In 2012, she was listed on Maxim's Hot 100 list, citing her photo shoots with Sports Illustrated.[38]
Upton was the cover model for the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for the second consecutive year.[33][39] Parts of her 2013 Sports Illustrated pictorial were filmed in Antarctica and Upton suffered from failing hearing and eyesight due to the extreme cold.[40][41]
In September 2013, Upton was named Model of the Year at the 10th annual Style Awards at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.[46]
Upton appeared on the flip-side cover of the 2014 50th-anniversary Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, the first time that type of cover was used by that magazine.[47] Part of her shoot took place at Cape Canaveral, capturing her in zero gravity.[48][49]
In 2014, Upton starred with Tony Hale in Lady Antebellum's music video "Bartender".[52][53]People named Upton its "Sexiest Woman" for 2014, the first time the title has been awarded.[54] Also in 2014, Upton was the centerpiece of a $40 million advertising campaign for Machine Zone's mobile app Game of War: Fire Age.[55][56]
Upton is Christian, and has said that her belief in God is important to her. During a photo shoot, someone joked about a cross necklace she wore, saying, "Why are you wearing a cross? Like you would be religious", then took the necklace from her to do the shoot. Upton stated about the incident: "I was really affected by that. The whole thing made me realize that I do want a cross with me, at all times." As a result, Upton had a cross tattooed on the inside of her finger.[34][60]
A supermodel is a highly paid fashion model who has a worldwide reputation and background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became popular in the 1990s. Supermodels usually work for prominent fashion designers and clothing brands. They may have multimillion-dollar contracts, endorsements, and campaigns. Supermodels have branded themselves as household names and worldwide recognition is associated with their modeling careers. They have been on the covers of leading fashion magazines. Claudia Schiffer stated in 2007 that, "In order to become a supermodel one must be on all the covers all over the world at the same time so that people can recognise the girls."
Cheryl Rae Tiegs is an American model and fashion designer. Frequently described as America's first supermodel, Tiegs made multiple appearances on the covers of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and Time magazine.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is published annually by American magazine Sports Illustrated and features female fashion models, celebrities and athletes wearing swimwear in various locales around the world. The highly coveted cover photograph has been considered as the arbiter of supermodel succession. The issue carries advertising that, in 2005, amounted to US$35 million in value. First published in 1964, it is credited with making the bikini, invented in 1946, a legitimate piece of apparel.
Stephanie Michelle Seymour is an American model and actress. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was one of the most popular supermodels, being featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and the cover of Vogue, as well as being a former Victoria's Secret Angel. She had a book published about beauty tips and has participated in advertising campaigns for clothing and cosmetic products. In 2017, Seymour launched her own line of lingerie. She has ventured into acting with one appearance in each medium of film, television, and video games.
Ashley Graham Ervin is an American model and television presenter. Graham made her debut on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2016. A year later, she published her first book, A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like, which contributes to her advocacy in the body positivity and inclusion movement.
Anna Sergeyevna "Anne" Vyalitsyna, also known as Anne V, is a Russian-American model best known for her 10-consecutive-year appearances (2005–2014) in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Brooklyn Danielle Decker is an American model and actress, perhaps best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, including the cover of the 2010 issue. In addition to working for Victoria's Secret for the 2010 "Swim" collection, she has ventured into television with guest appearances on Chuck, Ugly Betty, The League, and Royal Pains. She made her feature film debut in Just Go with It (2011), and later starred in Battleship (2012) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). In 2015, she was cast as a series regular, portraying Mallory Hanson, on Netflix's Grace and Frankie.
Hilary Hollis Rhoda is an American model. She is perhaps best known for her work with the brand Estée Lauder and her 2009, 2010 and 2011 appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Irina Valeryevna Shaykhlislamova, known professionally as Irina Shayk, is a Russian fashion model. She received international recognition when she appeared as the first Russian model on the cover of the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2022, the website Models.com placed her on their list of the New Supers.
Joanne Gair, nicknamed Kiwi Jo, is a New Zealand-born and -raised make-up artist and body painter whose body paintings have been featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 1999 to 2017. She is considered the world's leading trompe-l'œil body painter and make-up artist, and she became famous with a Vanity FairDemi's Birthday Suit cover of Demi Moore in a body painting in 1992. Her Disappearing Model was featured on the highest-rated episode of Ripley's Believe It or Not. She is the daughter of George Gair.
Jarah-Evelyn Makalapua Mariano is an American model best known for her appearances in the 2008 and 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editions, as well as Victoria's Secret.
Barbara Sprouse is a Hungarian model and actress. She first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2016. In 2019, she became a Victoria's Secret Angel, although she first walked in 2012. She is also ambassador for Longines and Armani Beauty.
Alyssa Elaine Miller is an American model. She has done print and runway work for numerous leading companies. Among her highlights are cover appearances for Vogue (Germany) and Elle (Italy), work as a featured model–spokesperson for Guess, and appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Robyn Lawley is an Australian model, writer, photographer and director. She has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Elle, and other publications. She has been outspoken in her support for size-inclusiveness in the fashion and modeling industry and led a boycott which compelled Victoria's Secret to make changes to their annual fashion show.
Bregje Heinen is a Dutch fashion model and actress. In 2011, she became a Victoria's Secret Angel. She first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2014.
The Rej3ctz are an American hip-hop and electronic music group that originated from California's party scene, and rose to prominence in late 2010 with their single "Cat Daddy", and its eponymous dance, which became a viral phenomenon, reaching more than 90 million views on YouTube as of October 2023.
Nina Brohus Agdal is a Danish model. She is known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2014, she appeared on the magazine's 50th anniversary cover alongside Chrissy Teigen and Lily Aldridge.
Hunter Sienna McGrady is an American plus-size model. She started plus-size modelling when she was 19 years old after being signed with Wilhelmina. She is currently signed to One Management and was recently featured on the cover of Sports illustrated Swimsuit’s 2024 60th Anniversary Legends issue.
Kate Lynne Love is a Canadian model. She is known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue since 2013. In 2020, she appeared on the cover, alongside Olivia Culpo and Jasmine Sanders.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
