Look at all the lovely ladies! Bikini-clad supermodels and celebrities have been gracing the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for 50 years, and today marks the release of the anniversary edition, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2014: 50 Years of Beautiful. Last month the magazine celebrated the occasion with a party that honored Kathy Ireland for having the Greatest Cover of All Time. Past and present swimsuit models were in attendance including Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Kate Upton, and featured performances by Tim McGraw and Steven Tyler. {start-jlvideo}1659,640,361,thumb{end-jlvideo}
In the days leading up to the release of this anniversary edition, Sports Illustrated has been releasing photos of busty models exotic locations set to be featured in the issue. So far the swimsuit lineup will include “rookies” Lily Aldridge, Samantha Hoopes, Lauren Mellor, Marloes Horst, Hannah Ferguson, Emily Ratajkowski in places like Exuma Islands, Bahamas; Andalusia, Spain; Guilin, China; Turtle Island, Fiji and Antarctica.
Last week the announcement was made that Barbie, in all her plastic glory, would also be starring in an editorial feature inside the magazine. Reimagined for Sports Illustrated, Mattel has created a new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Barbie to coincide with the release of the anniversary issue. The spread which focuses on being “unapologetic” about your body and who you are, will feature the doll in her iconic 1959 chevron one-piece as well as a modern reinterpretation.
And if bikinis are just too much clothing for you, check out the Sports Ilustrated models in nothing but body paint.
