Looking Back At The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Through The Years..

Sports Illustrated magazine has been around since 1954 and it was primarily a periodical that covered every avenue, of anything sports related up until a decade after it had been in publication.  In 1964, the magazines editor, Andre Laguerre invented the swimsuit edition to fill up the Winter months which were typically slow in regards to sports writing. It was a simple idea that became an effective marketing tool, being that it featured beautiful models in exotic locations.  It is thought by many in the mag biz, that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue was behind the succession of the 'Super Model' and that could very well be since it made Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley and Paulina Porizkova, household names.  Here's a little re-cap of S.I through the years...


1964: Babette March, a former hairdresser turned model from Germany was Sports Illustrated's 1st ever Swimsuit Issue cover girl.

1974: Ann Simonton, an American writer & lecturer who ironically became a radical feminist activist.

1984: Paulina Porzikova, a Czechoslovakian model was the first Eastern European woman to be on the cover of S.I.  She's also known world wide for marrying Rick Ocasek, the lead singer of The Cars.

1994: Kathy Ireland from the U.S., Elle Macpherson from Australia & Rachel Hunter from New Zealand, known in the modeling world as 'The Dream Team'. 

2004: Veronika Varekova of the Czech Republic, graced the cover of the 40th Anniversary Issue.  A model, and also a successful climber who went on to brave Mount Kilimanjaro in 2008.

So to bring you current, Irina Shayk, a Russia model who has worked closely with Armani and was recently in a Kanye West music video was the latest of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models.

Given the change in the modesty factor throughout the decades, who knows what route the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue will take as the years progress?  Not to sound too prude'ish but it appears as though the vibe of the mag has moved in a sketchy direction since the beginning of the new millennium.  Curious, what do you think about it? 


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