Kate Upton Lands Third Sports Illustrated Swim Cover: ‘I Have a Completely Different Mindset About My Body’
The 24-year-old model, who first landed a cover spot on SI Swim in 2012 when she was 19, returns to this year’s issue, marking her third time on the front cover of the magazine.
And to celebrate, she graces not one, but three (!) different covers.
The theme of this year’s issue centers on body diversity and age inclusion, something that was very important to SI Swim editor MJ Day. It’s also one of the reasons Upton was “proud” to return to the magazine.
“To have an issue that focuses on that is really an amazing moment for me because I think it’s important for everyone to be the best they can be, but not to strive to be a company or industry’s idea of perfect,” Upton tells Sports Illustrated. “For SI to emphasize every different type of perfect is really inspiring. Those are the campaigns I want to do and the career I want to have — to inspire women to love themselves.”
MJ Day shares that Upton voiced her praise for the SI Swim covers last year, when Ashley Graham was featured as the first curvy model to be featured on the front of the magazine.
“She was proud of SI Swimsuit for taking things in that direction,” Day says. “Kate is the woman who launched a thousand ships and changed the direction of the industry just by being on the cover of Swimsuit. She’s developed a passionate voice about it, advocates for it,…