The title of ‘swimsuit model’ can be pretty misleading. While a lot of these sexy stars do pose in bathing suits (or topless), they generally also find success in standard modelling or even outside of the fashion industry.
WATCH Tyra Banks Talks About Recreating Her Iconic Sports Illustrated Cover
‘Swimsuit model’ is therefore just a blanket term to refer to successful models who have gained notable popularity for posing in swimsuits.
But regardless of the definition, there is a certain prestige to being a certified swimsuit model, and that status can definitely lend its influence to other areas of the industry.
In this article, we’re going to celebrate the top swimsuit models in the world. So get yourself a nice cold drink because things are about to get hot!
RELATED: Beach Body: 50 Best Bikini Bodies
Samantha Hoopes
Age: 30 years old
Famous for: Her work with Sports Illustrated
Brands worked with: Guess, Levi’s
Fun fact: Hoopes used to play field hockey but had to stop when she became a model in high school.
Genevieve Morton
Age: 35 years old
Famous for: Appearing in GQ alongside comedy group The Lonely Island
Brands worked with: Sports Illustrated, Esquire, GQ
Fun fact: Morton was voted as the sexiest woman in the world by FHM South Africa’s readers.
Hailey Clauson
Age: 26 years old
Famous for: Appearing in Jay-Z’s music video for “Empire State of Mind”
Brands worked with: Jag, Forever 21, Calvin Klein, Zac Posen, Gucci, Topshop, Zara, Agent Provocateur
Fun fact: Clauson attended a Ford Models open casting call when she was just 14 and was signed on the spot.
Hunter McGrady
Age: 28 years old
Famous for: Being the largest plus-size model to ever appear in Sports Illustrated
Brands worked with: The Knot, Savage X Fenty, Playful Promises
Fun fact: McGrady started out as a ‘straight-sized’ size 2 model but decided to embrace her natural curves instead.
Anne De Paula
Age: 26 years old
Famous for: Winning the 2017 Sports Illustrated ‘Swimsuit Model Search’ competition
Brands worked with: Dior, Diane von Furstenberg, Glamour
Fun fact: Anne de Paula was first signed by a modelling agency at just 14 years old.
Danielle Herrington
Age: 28 years old
Famous for: Being only the third ever African-American model to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
Brands worked with: Victoria’s Secret, Philipp Plein
Fun fact: Herrington attended modelling school at age 10 – and booked a gig with Victoria’s Secret after gaining popularity on Instagram.
Chrissy Teigen
Age: 35 years old
Famous for: Hosting Lip Sync Battle
Brands worked with: Nike, Skullcandy, Billabong
Fun fact: Teigen is married to singer John Legend. She’s also an accomplished cook with books and TV shows under her belt!
Tyra Banks
Age: 47 years old
Famous for: Being one of the original 90s supermodels, hosting her own eponymous daytime talk show, and hosting America’s Next Top Model
Brands worked with: Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Valentino
Fun fact: Tyra Banks was the first African-American woman to grace the covers of GQ and Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue.
Kate Upton
Age: 29 years old
Famous for: Films such as The Other Woman, The Layover, and Disaster Artist
Brands worked with: Guess, Victoria’s Secret, Bobbi Brown
Fun fact: Before becoming a model, Upton was an accomplished youth equestrian competing on the national level.
Olivia Culpo
Age: 29 years old
Famous for: Winning the Miss Universe competition in 2012
Brands worked with: L’Oreal, Timex, Pretty Little Thing, Sheri Hill
Fun fact: There is an ‘Olivia Culpo Way’ in Culpo’s hometown of Cranston, Rhode Island.
Eugenie Bouchard
Age: 25 years old
Famous for: Being a pro tennis player
Brands worked with: Coca-Cola, Nike, Aviva Canada
Fun fact: In 2017, Genie Bouchard made a Super Bowl bet with a fan named John Goehrke – if the Atlanta Falcons lost, Bouchard would go on a date with him. The Falcons did lose the championship game, and Bouchard followed through with the date. An upcoming 20th Century Fox romantic comedy is based on these events.
Robyn Lawley
Age: 32 years old
Famous for: Becoming the first plus-size model to be featured in SI’s swimsuit issue
Brands worked with: Peter Morrissey, Ralph Lauren, Mango
Fun fact: Lawley is a body positivity advocate – she quit being a ‘straight-size model’ after she couldn’t maintain the required size.
Elle Macpherson
Age: 57 years old
Famous for: Being ‘The Body’, a top supermodel in the 80s
Brands worked with: Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Valentino, Donna Karan
Fun fact: Macpherson holds the record for the most number of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers at five appearances.
The Modern Swimsuit Model
Just 10 or 15 years ago, swimsuit models only had one look. But in 2021, our idea of what’s beautiful has changed drastically. If there’s one thing you can take away from this list, it’s that swimsuit models today come in all shapes, colours, and sizes!
RELATED: EXCLUSIVE Robyn Lawley: ‘Victoria Secret Exec Ed Razek Hates Women’
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
