11 Most Famous Swimsuit Models of All Time

For many models, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue appearance is the moment they become a household name. The list of famous swimsuit models now includes athletes, a beauty queen, TV hosts and plus-size trailblazers, not just runway models.

Here are 11 of the most famous swimsuit models of all time, from 1980s icon Elle Macpherson to the women who broke new ground in recent years.

1. Elle Macpherson

Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson was nicknamed “The Body” by Time magazine in 1989.

She holds the record for the most Sports Illustrated Swimsuit covers, with five (1986, 1987, 1988, 1994 and 2006). She later built businesses including Elle Macpherson Intimates and the wellness brand WelleCo.

2. Kate Upton

American model Kate Upton became one of the most famous swimsuit models of the 2010s.

She debuted in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2011 and landed its cover in 2012, 2013 and 2017. She also covered Vanity Fair‘s 100th-anniversary issue in 2013 and acted in The Other Woman (2014) and The Layover (2017).

3. Chrissy Teigen

Model, cookbook author and TV host Chrissy Teigen started out as a swimsuit model.

She was Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s Rookie of the Year in 2010 and shared the 2014 50th-anniversary cover with Nina Agdal and Lily Aldridge. She went on to co-host Lip Sync Battle and write the bestselling Cravings cookbooks.

4. Genevieve Morton

South African model Genevieve Morton, from Benoni, is one of SI Swimsuit’s longest-running stars.

She appeared in every Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 2010 to 2015, was named one of SI’s top 50 swimsuit models of all time in 2014 and covered GQ South Africa in July 2014.

5. Olivia Culpo

Rhode Island’s Olivia Culpo won Miss USA and then Miss Universe in 2012.

She was a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit rookie in 2018 and shared the 2020 cover with Jasmine Sanders and Kate Bock. She has since hosted Miss Universe several times and Netflix’s Next Gen Chef.

6. Danielle Herrington

Compton-born Danielle Herrington rose fast from SI rookie to cover star.

After debuting in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2017, she landed the 2018 cover, becoming the third Black woman on the cover after Tyra Banks and Beyoncé. She has also walked for Philipp Plein at New York Fashion Week.

7. Robyn Lawley

Australian model Robyn Lawley changed the swimsuit issue forever.

In 2015 she became the first plus-size model in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and she returned in 2016 and 2017. She was also the first plus-size model in a Ralph Lauren campaign. See more famous plus-size models.

8. Hunter McGrady

Los Angeles native Hunter McGrady has helped make the swimsuit issue more size-inclusive.

She debuted in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2017 and was on the 2024 60th-anniversary “Legends” cover. She also designs the size-inclusive line All Worthy for QVC.

9. Alex Morgan

U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan is as famous for her trophies as for her swimsuit shoots.

She won the World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and Olympic gold in 2012. She appeared in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2012 and 2015 and covered the 2019 issue, before retiring from soccer in 2024.

10. Genie Bouchard

Canadian Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard reached the 2014 Wimbledon final and a career-high world No. 5 in tennis.

She appeared in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2017 and 2018. After retiring from tennis in 2025, she now plays professional pickleball.

11. Anne de Paula

Brazilian model Anne de Paula, from Rio de Janeiro, joined SI Swimsuit through its model search.

Selected through the 2017 public-vote model search, she was a 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit rookie and returned to the issue in 2020.

FAQs

Who has the most Sports Illustrated Swimsuit covers?

Elle Macpherson holds the record with five covers. Christie Brinkley and Kate Upton are among the other models with multiple covers.

Who was the first plus-size model in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit?

Robyn Lawley, in 2015. A year later, Ashley Graham became the first plus-size model on the cover.

Final Thoughts

From supermodels to soccer champions, these women prove there’s no single swimsuit-model type. For more, see our lists of plus-size lingerie models and female fitness models.