Tyra Banks is back to her first love, modeling. The supermodel turned mogul surprised everyone when she popped up on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s annual issue. The magazine shot three different covers featuring Tyra, Alex Morgan, US National Women’s Soccer team star and Olympic gold medalist; and Camille Kostek, 2018 SI Swimsuit Model Search winner.
This marks the third SI Swimsuit cover for Banks, who came out of modeling retirement specifically for this shoot. She was photographed in Great Exuma, Bahamas by Laretta Houston.
“The three women that make up the covers of the 2019 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue represent the brand in the most powerful way possible. While each individual woman is so unique, they come together cohesively to tell a spectacular story,” MJ Day, SI Swimsuit Editor said.
“Since Tyra’s first cover in 1996, she’s transformed herself into nothing less than a mogul, a cultural force and a supernova of inspiration and empowerment. She’s kind of the Swimsuit Issue ethos come to life, everything we know this franchise can be. Alex Morgan stands for feminine strength and power- using her voice to fight for gender discrimination and equal pay and Camille Kostek, only a year after we discovered her in our annual Model Search casting, marks the launch of a career swimming in potential. These women emulate determination to own who they are and demonstrate how limitless they can be.”
The theme for the 56th installment of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is ‘Shattering Perceptions.’ SI says they want to redefine the cultural conversation around beauty by celebrating a diverse group of women who include: three returning cover models, seven world-renowned athletes, four mothers, six rookies, six model search contestants and two female cover photographers.
The 2019 issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit features a diverse group of 34 women, who in addition to Banks, Morgan and Kostek, include Abby Dahlkemper, Anne de Paula, Barbara Palvin, Brooks Nader, Crystal Dunn, Danielle Herrington, Erin Willerton, Hailey Clauson, Haley Kalil, Halima Aden, Hunter McGrady, Jasmine Sanders, Jessica Aidi, Kate Bock, Kelsey Merritt, Lais Ribeiro, Lindsey Vonn, Manuela Alvarez Hernandez, Megan Rapinoe, Myla Dalbesio, Olivia Brower, Olivia Culpo, Paige VanZant, Paulina Porizkova, Raine Michaels, Robin Holzken, Samantha Hoopes, Simone Biles, Tara Lynn, Veronica Pome’e and Winnie Harlow.
SI Swimsuit will head to Miami to celebrate the 2019 issue with the ultimate consumer facing event, ‘SI Swimsuit on Location’.
To purchase general admission and VIP tickets visit: SwimsuitOnLocation.com.
