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Photos: New Sports Illustrated Book Celebrates 50 Years Of Iconic Swimsuit Issues
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 22, 2013
Modified Oct 22, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 22, 2013
Modified Oct 22, 2013
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Cheryl Tiegs's see-through fishnet suit? Yes. Kate Upton? Yes. Sports Illustrated is getting a jump on the coffee table book season with its "SWIMSUIT: 50 YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL," which as over 300 pages of stories and photographs of barely-clad models often frolicking in the sand.
SI Swimsuit Issue editor MJ Day says, "It all comes down to the girls. Anyone can take a bathing suit picture and post it online, but the sophistication and the beauty that our models possess is superior. Our readers are connected to the franchise because we stay true to the roots. Swimsuit has evolved with the rest of the world, but the recipe for success over 50 years has remained the same." Exactly—body paint is one of those evolutionary traits (thanks, Darwin).
Besides photographs of supermodels launched and outtakes, there are photographs of actual athletes—the male athletes like Rafael Nadal and Michael Phelps pose with models while female athletes like Lindsey Vonn and Steffi Graf actually wear the swimsuits.
Tagged
cheryl tiegs
elle macpherson
kate upton
kathy ireland
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
tyra banks
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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