The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is published annually by American magazine Sports Illustrated and showcases the beauty of 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. (By men.) [1] The issue carries advertising that, in 2005, amounted to US$35 million in value.[1] First published in 1964, it is credited with making the bikini, invented in 1946,[2] a legitimate piece of apparel.[3]
Since 1964, the issue had been published every February, but starting in 2019, the issue was made available in May.[4][5]
History
The swimsuit issue was invented by Sports Illustrated editor Andre Laguerre to fill the winter months, a typically slow point in the sporting calendar.[1] He asked fashion reporter Jule Campbell to go on a shoot to fill space, including the cover, with a beautiful model. The first issue, released in 1964, entailed a cover featuring Babette March and a five-page layout. Campbell soon became a powerful figure in modeling and molded the issue into a media phenomenon by featuring "bigger and healthier" California women and printing the names of the models with their photos, beginning a new supermodel era.[1] In the 1950s, a few women appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, but the 1964 issue is considered to be the beginning of the current format known as the Swimsuit Issue. The issue that got the most letters was the 1978 edition.[6] In 1997, Tyra Banks was the first black woman on the cover.[7] Since 1997, the swimsuit issue has been a stand-alone edition, separate from the regular weekly magazine.[8] Its best selling issue was the 25th Anniversary Issue with Kathy Ireland on the cover in 1989.[6]
The 2020 issue was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[20] and was released on July 13, 2020.[21]Valentina Sampaio became the swimsuit issue’s first openly transgender model in 2020.[22] The first openly transgender covergirl for the magazine was Leyna Bloom in 2021.[23]
In May 2022, Yumi Nu became the first plus-size model of Asian descent to be featured on the cover of the magazine.[24] Also in May, Maye Musk became the oldest model to feature on the Swimsuit cover, appearing at 74 years old.[25]
Non-models in the magazine
Female athletes have appeared in swimsuit shoots. Steffi Graf appeared in 1997. In the 2003 issue, tennis player Serena Williams and figure skater Ekaterina Gordeeva were featured inside the magazine. In 2016, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey became the first female athlete to appear on the cover. However, Anna Kournikova appeared in an inset on the 2004 cover, and had a photo spread within its pages.
In 2005, Olympic gold medalists Amanda Beard and Jennie Finch, along with Lauren Jackson and Venus Williams, were featured. Maria Sharapova appeared in an inset on the 2006 cover and had a spread inside. In spring 2006, Sports Illustrated chose music as the theme for the 2007 issue. Swimsuit editor Diane Smith[26] wanted Grammy-winner Beyoncé Knowles to pose.[27] In 2006, Beyoncé launched a swimsuit line under her House of Deréon clothing label. Beyoncé Knowles became the first singer, and first non-model non-athlete, to appear on the cover in 2007.
For the 2010 issue, four female Winter Olympians appeared in swimsuits: Clair Bidez, Lacy Schnoor, Hannah Teter, and Lindsey Vonn. They were joined by tennis player Ana Ivanovic. Australian hurdler Michelle Jenneke appeared in the 2013 issue after having gained notoriety for her warm-up dance routine, which went viral on YouTube.[30]
Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki appeared in the 2015 issue. She is an active player, formerly world number one, and was photographed at Captiva Island in the Gulf of Mexico by Walter Iooss, Jr.[34] Top ranked Canadian tennis player Eugenie Bouchard appeared for the first time in the 2017 issue. She is an active player who has achieved a top five rank in tennis in 2014.[35]
In 2021, Naomi Osaka became the first black athlete to appear not only inside but also on the cover of the SI swimsuit Issue.[36]
In 2023, Martha Stewart, at the age of 81, succeeded Maye Musk as the oldest model on the cover of the SI swimsuit Issue.[37] Also in 2023, Kim Petras became the second openly transgender woman to appear on the cover.[38]
To some people, the magazine is an acceptable exhibition of female sexuality not out of place on a coffee table.[1] The swimsuit edition is controversial both with moralists who subscribe for sports news content as well as with those who feel that the focus on fashion and swimsuit modeling is inappropriate for a sports magazine. Feminists have expressed that "the Swimsuit Issue promotes the harmful and dehumanizing concept that women are a product for male consumption".[40]
In 1997, sports sociologist Laurel R. Davis published The Swimsuit Issue and Sport: Hegemonic Masculinity in Sports Illustrated, examining the societal implications of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Davis analyzed editions of the magazine from its inception in 1964 through the 1990s and conducted interviews with producers and readers. Her research suggested that the swimsuit issues reinforced traditional gender roles and perpetuated a "climate of hegemonic masculinity." Davis also argued that the magazine marginalized people of color, non-heterosexual individuals, and residents of lower-income countries. Additionally, Davis critiqued the magazine’s portrayal of models, suggesting it emphasized notions of femininity over athleticism by depicting them as dependent, emotionally vulnerable, and disconnected from the sporting context[41].
At times, subscriptions have been cancelled by subscribers. The 1978 edition, remembered for its fishnet bathing suit made famous by Cheryl Tiegs, resulted in 340 cancellations.[1]Sports Illustrated makes the controversy a form of entertainment with the issue two weeks after the swimsuit edition packed with complainants such as shocked parents and troubled librarians.[1] As of 2005, the number of cancellations has reportedly declined.[1] Nonetheless, to avoid controversy, Sports Illustrated has, since 2007, offered its subscribers the option of skipping the swimsuit edition for a one issue credit to extend their subscription.[42]
Locations
The swimsuit issue was once predominantly shot in one country per year. As the issue has grown in size, the number of locations has also risen.
2018: Tierra del Sol Resort & Golf, Aruba; Haute Harbour Island, Bahamas; Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Belize; Hermitage Plantation Inn, Nevis[56]
2019: Costa Rica, Great Exuma, Kangaroo Island, Kenya, Paradise Island, Puerto Vallarta, St. Lucia
Beginning in the late 1980s, Sports Illustrated allowed television specials to be aired which were later released as video versions of its Swimsuit Issue. The first releases were available on VHS or Laser Disc (LD), and later releases have been available on DVD.[58]
In 1989, The Making of the Sports Illustrated 25th Anniversary Swimsuit Issue was a television documentary by HBO which later became available on VHS by Maysles Films.[59]
In 1992, a behind-the-scenes made-for-HBO special documentary was released on VHS as the Sports Illustrated Behind the Scenes: Official Swimsuit Video.[60]
In 1993, Sports Illustrated: The 1993 Swimsuit Video was released by HBO films.[61]
The Sports Illustrated 1994 Swimsuit Issue Video was released on video by Dakota North Entertainment.[62] Since then, the annual video version of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has been called the Swimsuit Video.
In 1995, Sports Illustrated began distributing television specials based on the issue, titled Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Special. The hour-long specials have aired on Spike TV and TNT and Minisodes of several specials from 2002 to 2004 are available on Crackle.[63]
In 2004, the Sports Illustrated 40th Anniversary Swimsuit Special: American Beauty featured videos of the swimsuit beauties at various US locations, some of which are not usually thought of as beaches: e.g., the host Melissa Keller and Marisa Miller at the grain elevator in Bouton, Iowa, and on a farm near Perry, Iowa. The more recent videos have included some "uncensored" scenes.[64]
Prior to the release of the 2011 issue, DirectTV aired a preview special on the 101 Network, revealing the models in that year's edition. The show was hosted by Dan Patrick and Mallory Snyder.
In 2017, the issue hosted its first ever open casting call where aspirants were asked to submit a 60-second video on Instagram.[66] The three-part series Sports Illustrated Swim Search which documented the first ever open casting call with Camille Kostek as a winner (becoming a cover model in 2019) was made available on SI TV and Amazon Prime Video.[67] The following year, the model search held an in-person open casting call in Miami, and has been held annually since.[68][69]
In 2019, the magazine held a two-day exhibition in Miami which gave "fans the chance to experience the world of SI Swim like never before through an array of one-of-a-kind installations, photo experiences," panels and talks among others.[70]
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."
Marisa Lee Miller is an American model best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and her work for Victoria's Secret. After a stint shooting with photographer Mario Testino for fashion magazines such as Vogue, Miller began working for both companies in 2002. In 2007, she became a Victoria's Secret Angel, and appeared on the cover of the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue to record-setting numbers. Her accomplishments have led to her being dubbed the "return of the great American supermodel."
Bridget Hall is an American model.
Rachel Hunter is a New Zealand model, actress, and the host of Imagination Television's Rachel Hunter's Tour of Beauty. She has appeared on several magazine covers, including Vogue, Elle, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, and Harper's Bazaar. She has been on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue twice: in 1994 and in 2006.
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.
Elsa Benítez Yáñez is a Mexican model and television presenter, perhaps best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, including her appearance on the cover in 2001.
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.
Jessica Angel White is an American fashion model, actress and television personality. She is best known for being a Victoria's Secret runway model, Maybelline spokesperson and working for CoverGirl, as well as her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues. Outside of modeling, she has appeared on several television series, such as The Young and the Restless, America's Next Top Model, Famously Single, Zoe Ever After, Hip Hop Squares and Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.
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.
Hannah Jeter is an American model and television host best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, including the cover of the 2015 edition.
Jessica Gomes is an Australian model who appeared in the Swimsuit Issue of the American publication Sports Illustrated every year from 2008 to 2015. She works extensively in Australia and Asia. Gomes was the featured spokesperson for Australian company David Jones Limited from 2013 to Dec 2019. She has also been a spokesperson for South Korean conglomerates LG Electronics and Hyundai. Gomes served as the face of the Estee Lauder/Sean John fragrance "Unforgivable".
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.
Katherine Elizabeth Upton 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.
Kim Cloutier is a Canadian underwear and fashion model, known for numerous lingerie, swimsuit and cosmetics campaigns.
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.
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.
Danielle Nicole Herrington is an American model known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, including the cover of 2018 edition where she became the third African-American woman to appear on the cover — after Tyra Banks (1997) and Beyonce (2007).
Haley Bea Kalil is an American social media personality, model, and former beauty pageant contestant. In 2018, Kalil was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as a contestant in the first ever Sports Illustrated Swim Search. As one of the two winners of the competition, alongside Camille Kostek, she officially appeared in the 2019 edition as a rookie.
Camille Veronica Kostek is an American model, television presenter, and actress. She appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and was featured on the cover of the magazine's 2019 edition.
↑ Hoover, Elizabeth D. (July 5, 2006). "60 Years of Bikinis". American Heritage Inc. Archived from the original on September 9, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2007.
↑ Davis, Laurel R., ed. (1997). The swimsuit issue and sport: hegemonic masculinity in Sports illustrated. SUNY series on sport, culture, and social relations. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN978-0-7914-3392-8.
Campbell, Jule, ed. (1995). The Best of the Swimsuit Supermodels. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. ISBN9781883013226. Published in both hardcover and softcover editions.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (1997). Around the World with the Swimsuit Supermodels. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. LCCN99191547. OCLC41211842.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (1999). The Best of the Swimsuit Supermodels 1964–1999. New York: Time, Inc. Collector's edition magazine.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (2002). Sports Illustrated Presents Ultimate Swimsuit 1964–2002. New York: Time, Inc.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (2011). Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Portfolio: Fantasy Islands. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. ISBN9781603202091. OCLC755072628.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (2014). Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Portfolio: Idyllic Shores. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. ISBN9781618931214. OCLC870199673.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (2010). Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Portfolio: Paradise Found. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. ISBN9781603201537. OCLC751578018.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (2009). Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Portfolio: The Explorers Edition. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. ISBN9781603200899. OCLC658199994.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (2013). Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: 50 Years of Beautiful. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. ISBN978-1618930811. OCLC827082812.
Editors of Sports Illustrated (2008). Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: The Complete Portfolio. New York: Sports Illustrated Books. ISBN9781603200417. OCLC502263177.
Hoffman, Steven (executive director) (2001). Sports Illustrated Knockouts: Five Decades of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Photography. Foreword by Frank Deford. New York: Sports Illustrated. ISBN9781929049479.
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