Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2019 : Tyra Banks, Alex Morgan & Camille Kostek
- Thread starter Benn98
- Start date
Benn98
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2014
- Messages
- 42,532
- Reaction score
- 20,612
Plus......................
Is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Still Relevant?
Even with the magazine in sale limbo and a broader evolution of sexual mores, longtime editor M.J. Day gave a resounding “Yes.”
By Kali Hays on May 8, 2019
Confidence. Story. Success. These are what Sports Illustrated editor M.J. Day wants readers to take away from this year’s Swimsuit Issue, but is it possible to see anything beyond the pages and pages of scantily clad women?
Day thinks so and said this year’s selection of three women for three different covers — entrepreneur and model Tyra Banks; U.S. Women’s Soccer player Alex Morgan, and SI Model Search winner Camille Kostek — represent plenty beyond being a female posing for a largely male audience.
“Look, you have Tyra, who is the epitome of success from this franchise, she’s the absolute definition of model to mogul,” Day said. “She is what I hope for every woman period and for every woman who is a part of this brand. Just because you’re a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model doesn’t mean you can’t teach at Harvard or get an MBA.”
Besides it being a launching pad for models getting into business or becoming brands on their own — something SI helped along by being the first magazine to include models’ names in cover lines — Day said a woman like Morgan can make it a place to show off not only changes in female sport, but also ideals of female beauty.
“I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve worked with athletes for so long, and in the past, they’d often be like, ‘Oh, make sure my arm doesn’t look too big,’ or ‘I don’t want to looked too ripped or too masculine.’ I would get a little frustrated, but I always let the talent guide me,” Day explained. “What I noticed this year, which is so incredible, [Morgan and two teammates she posed with inside] were like ‘I want you to see my abs!’ ‘Look at my leg definition!’ They were so proud of themselves. It was a very rewarding moment.”
But there’s no doubt that the cultural changes taking place around feminism and #MeToo, with a lot of media taking pains to move away from some traditional portrayals of women, has been difficult for a magazine that created the Swimsuit Issue to titillate its male subscriber base. Some of the change is clear with this year’s covers. Banks, Morgan and Kostek are all posing much less suggestively than covers past, and all have the entirety of their bikinis on. No arms being used as nipple covers. No bottoms being pulled off or untied.
“This shift is work and it’s not painless, but it’s worth the pain because we’re affecting positive change,” Day said, noting Morgan flew from Paris for her SI shoot the day after Women’s Soccer revealed its gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer, over pay equity and working conditions. And this year’s Swimsuit Issue will also include a two-day event, with panels with models and editors discussing their platforms and work and the story of the Swimsuit Issue, which started in 1964.
Although the women in this year’s issue are an array of shapes and colors and backgrounds, Day admitted that the issue traditionally has focused on the male gaze, and with highly sexualized results. But she said the magazine is “evolving” and that the criticism of the issue objectifying women is “subjective.”
“I expect to hear things like that…I don’t have a problem with differing opinions,” Day said. “It creates conversation and the more conversations we can have, the more minds we can change. I know every single woman we have does it for herself, not for men. I’m there and you don’t drag anyone kicking and screaming onto the set.”
An area where Day is a bit less certain is where Sports Illustrated as a magazine is headed. Its current owner, Meredith, put it up for sale a year ago, along with some other former Time Inc. titles that didn’t fit its core family-friendly lifestyle magazine portfolio, but it’s had some trouble finding a buyer. The price is said to have dropped from an initial asking price of $150 million to around $100 million and the most recent party interested is said to be Authentic Brands Group, which is likely to close the title and make it a pure licensing play.
Day said she didn’t go into this year’s Swimsuit Issue thinking it could be her last and that she’s been keeping her head down and working without the “noise” of who could be buying the magazine getting in her way. Something she does have are “notebooks full” of ideas for things Sports Illustrated can do, if it gets an owner who wants to build it.
“Swim is such a lifestyle; the women and the brand is so far reaching — it’s fashion, it’s fun, it’s food, it’s mental health, adventure, inspiration, it’s so many things,” Day said. “Once this thing has the wings it needs and a new set of people investing, wanting to make it great, it’s positioned to do really wonderful, impactful things.”
WWD
Is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Still Relevant?
Even with the magazine in sale limbo and a broader evolution of sexual mores, longtime editor M.J. Day gave a resounding “Yes.”
By Kali Hays on May 8, 2019
Confidence. Story. Success. These are what Sports Illustrated editor M.J. Day wants readers to take away from this year’s Swimsuit Issue, but is it possible to see anything beyond the pages and pages of scantily clad women?
Day thinks so and said this year’s selection of three women for three different covers — entrepreneur and model Tyra Banks; U.S. Women’s Soccer player Alex Morgan, and SI Model Search winner Camille Kostek — represent plenty beyond being a female posing for a largely male audience.
“Look, you have Tyra, who is the epitome of success from this franchise, she’s the absolute definition of model to mogul,” Day said. “She is what I hope for every woman period and for every woman who is a part of this brand. Just because you’re a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model doesn’t mean you can’t teach at Harvard or get an MBA.”
Besides it being a launching pad for models getting into business or becoming brands on their own — something SI helped along by being the first magazine to include models’ names in cover lines — Day said a woman like Morgan can make it a place to show off not only changes in female sport, but also ideals of female beauty.
“I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve worked with athletes for so long, and in the past, they’d often be like, ‘Oh, make sure my arm doesn’t look too big,’ or ‘I don’t want to looked too ripped or too masculine.’ I would get a little frustrated, but I always let the talent guide me,” Day explained. “What I noticed this year, which is so incredible, [Morgan and two teammates she posed with inside] were like ‘I want you to see my abs!’ ‘Look at my leg definition!’ They were so proud of themselves. It was a very rewarding moment.”
But there’s no doubt that the cultural changes taking place around feminism and #MeToo, with a lot of media taking pains to move away from some traditional portrayals of women, has been difficult for a magazine that created the Swimsuit Issue to titillate its male subscriber base. Some of the change is clear with this year’s covers. Banks, Morgan and Kostek are all posing much less suggestively than covers past, and all have the entirety of their bikinis on. No arms being used as nipple covers. No bottoms being pulled off or untied.
“This shift is work and it’s not painless, but it’s worth the pain because we’re affecting positive change,” Day said, noting Morgan flew from Paris for her SI shoot the day after Women’s Soccer revealed its gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer, over pay equity and working conditions. And this year’s Swimsuit Issue will also include a two-day event, with panels with models and editors discussing their platforms and work and the story of the Swimsuit Issue, which started in 1964.
Although the women in this year’s issue are an array of shapes and colors and backgrounds, Day admitted that the issue traditionally has focused on the male gaze, and with highly sexualized results. But she said the magazine is “evolving” and that the criticism of the issue objectifying women is “subjective.”
“I expect to hear things like that…I don’t have a problem with differing opinions,” Day said. “It creates conversation and the more conversations we can have, the more minds we can change. I know every single woman we have does it for herself, not for men. I’m there and you don’t drag anyone kicking and screaming onto the set.”
An area where Day is a bit less certain is where Sports Illustrated as a magazine is headed. Its current owner, Meredith, put it up for sale a year ago, along with some other former Time Inc. titles that didn’t fit its core family-friendly lifestyle magazine portfolio, but it’s had some trouble finding a buyer. The price is said to have dropped from an initial asking price of $150 million to around $100 million and the most recent party interested is said to be Authentic Brands Group, which is likely to close the title and make it a pure licensing play.
Day said she didn’t go into this year’s Swimsuit Issue thinking it could be her last and that she’s been keeping her head down and working without the “noise” of who could be buying the magazine getting in her way. Something she does have are “notebooks full” of ideas for things Sports Illustrated can do, if it gets an owner who wants to build it.
“Swim is such a lifestyle; the women and the brand is so far reaching — it’s fashion, it’s fun, it’s food, it’s mental health, adventure, inspiration, it’s so many things,” Day said. “Once this thing has the wings it needs and a new set of people investing, wanting to make it great, it’s positioned to do really wonderful, impactful things.”
WWD
Bertrando3
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2010
- Messages
- 5,466
- Reaction score
- 2,131
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH you were quicker than me !!! aahah OMFG 
LOVE LOVE LOVE !!! she still got it !!! Looooove her face, the confidence, the sexy body, the pose, the hair LOVE THIS
many will perhaps hate because it´s Tyra ahahah and I admit she is VERY crazy but she´s so funny and empowering women worldwide and truly made the change from unknown model to supermodel sensation to media mogul with huge businesses and THAT´s the very definition of a superstar model: tv shows, movies, books, makeup brand, teaching, producing and she is back to modeling !!!!!!!! Tyra, even though you may love her or hate her is a champion of supermodels in terms of reinventing herself constantly without any fear. Of course I love Linda, Christy, Naomi and the legends such as Carmen Dell´Orefice and Iman and these huge supers who came way before Tyra but I have always been fascinated with her.
We all have our favorite models. Each decade brought their own supers: Shalom, Stella, Alek, Gemma, Raquel, Coco, Cindy, Claudia, Beverly, Twiggy and so on, I have soooooo much love and knowledge for the supermodels it´s not even funny ahahahaahah I should have published the book Derek B did for Harper´s Bazaar with Gisele on the cover ahahahahaah.
The point is: Tyra, 22 years later still rocks the magazine covers and that´s a great feat I think. I might not be objective because I love her and buy every cover she is on ahahaahaha but I wonder what people who don´t like her find bad about this cover hehe.
LOVE LOVE LOVE !!! she still got it !!! Looooove her face, the confidence, the sexy body, the pose, the hair LOVE THIS
many will perhaps hate because it´s Tyra ahahah and I admit she is VERY crazy but she´s so funny and empowering women worldwide and truly made the change from unknown model to supermodel sensation to media mogul with huge businesses and THAT´s the very definition of a superstar model: tv shows, movies, books, makeup brand, teaching, producing and she is back to modeling !!!!!!!! Tyra, even though you may love her or hate her is a champion of supermodels in terms of reinventing herself constantly without any fear. Of course I love Linda, Christy, Naomi and the legends such as Carmen Dell´Orefice and Iman and these huge supers who came way before Tyra but I have always been fascinated with her.We all have our favorite models. Each decade brought their own supers: Shalom, Stella, Alek, Gemma, Raquel, Coco, Cindy, Claudia, Beverly, Twiggy and so on, I have soooooo much love and knowledge for the supermodels it´s not even funny ahahahaahah I should have published the book Derek B did for Harper´s Bazaar with Gisele on the cover ahahahahaah.
The point is: Tyra, 22 years later still rocks the magazine covers and that´s a great feat I think. I might not be objective because I love her and buy every cover she is on ahahaahaha but I wonder what people who don´t like her find bad about this cover hehe.
mikel
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 26,757
- Reaction score
- 5,932
One could say that people don’t like this cover, because it’s cheap and tacky looking and objectifying.AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH you were quicker than me !!! aahah OMFG
LOVE LOVE LOVE !!! she still got it !!! Looooove her face, the confidence, the sexy body, the pose, the hair LOVE THIS
We all have our favorite models. Each decade brought their own supers: Shalom, Stella, Alek, Gemma, Raquel, Coco, Cindy, Claudia, Beverly, Twiggy and so on, I have soooooo much love and knowledge for the supermodels it´s not even funny ahahahaahah I should have published the book Derek B did for Harper´s Bazaar with Gisele on the cover ahahahahaah.
The point is: Tyra, 22 years later still rocks the magazine covers and that´s a great feat I think. I might not be objective because I love her and buy every cover she is on ahahaahaha but I wonder what people who don´t like her find bad about this cover hehe.
I don’t mind this cover. But I never cared for Sports Illustrated.
tigerrouge
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2005
- Messages
- 18,520
- Reaction score
- 8,731
Nice to see Tyra back on her home turf, this was always the type of modelling she excelled at - and if magazine covers with models on them can still make the news in 2019, I'm all for it.
As for objectifying people - all modelling involves reducing the person down to a shorthand, a visual commodity that can be bought and sold. I can appreciate that we're going through a time where everyone is readjusting their expectations about who or what is 'allowed' to appear in magazines, but the accompanying clamour whenever a hint of physical sexuality rears its head... looking like a supremely fit and sexually desirable individual will never go out of style for a lot of people.
As for objectifying people - all modelling involves reducing the person down to a shorthand, a visual commodity that can be bought and sold. I can appreciate that we're going through a time where everyone is readjusting their expectations about who or what is 'allowed' to appear in magazines, but the accompanying clamour whenever a hint of physical sexuality rears its head... looking like a supremely fit and sexually desirable individual will never go out of style for a lot of people.
Fiercification
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2008
- Messages
- 6,200
- Reaction score
- 1,221
She looks truly great; her body is amazing and I like that they didn't try to recreate her iconic original solo cover in the red bikini.
MulletProof
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 28,704
- Reaction score
- 7,249
I want to have an opinion besides 'she looks great!' but I also feel like it doesn't matter because I don't oil engines with babes on calendars as decor.
D
Deleted member 141523
Guest
I forgot how good Tyra is!!!
Tyra looks good but I don't know why they made her the cover model except that she's well known in the entertainment industry. SI Swimsuit has been going downhill for some time they don't create supermodels anymore. It's good they put more diversity but at least use models that are banging beautiful and will be the next big thing or of the moment.
I'd preferred that they put Paulina Porizkova a more famous model than Tyra on the cover and who at 54 looks very good. That would have made a statement about ageism in the beauty industry.
I'd preferred that they put Paulina Porizkova a more famous model than Tyra on the cover and who at 54 looks very good. That would have made a statement about ageism in the beauty industry.
Benn98
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2014
- Messages
- 42,532
- Reaction score
- 20,612
Same here! I imagine SI readers will only be too happy about this.
The Alex Morgan cover is also great if you look past the baby (or coconut?) oil. Particularly like that her swimsuit actually fits her, and those abs....
SI, like Playboy, is trying hard to reposition themselves in the new climate. The first teasers they've chosen to release about a week and a half ago were of Halima Aden in a burkini. I'm really indifferent to this magazine, so don't have any strong opinions.
Their last icon may have been Kate Upton? And she certainly did as much for the magazine as it did for her. Remember this?
Yeah, it dominated the news and helped push SI's numbers up. And I think they've also helped Ashley Graham's career in a big way.Anyway, promos.....
SLFC
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2018
- Messages
- 1,200
- Reaction score
- 997
Sports Illustrated Swim is still relevant, as well as playboy and they didn't need to change. The only people deciding their relevancy are ideologue activists disguised as journalists in the media. The political virtue signaling by the Swimsuit Edition is just ridiculous, and it isn't going to save them, the people they are trying to virtue signal to while eventually eat them. This is magazine designed for people attracted to women to ogle over their looks in sexual suggestive poses, nothing more they don't need to go further than that. I'm not against them having diverse body types and women certainly, but there is no need for there to be any message attached and as that message inherently won't save from them being criticized against by the media. People will get mad at the issue regardless for the sexually suggested no matter what they do. They should continue with no fluff, the people who get mad will get over it.
But lastly, the covers in my opinion are pretty good and Alex Morgan and Tyra especially looking divine on them. Though I feel like Barbara Palvin got robbed. I would have much preferred she got a cover. They especially did her dirty with her video and shoot, There's some hot stuff in it, no doubt, but we should've gotten more angles of her.
But lastly, the covers in my opinion are pretty good and Alex Morgan and Tyra especially looking divine on them. Though I feel like Barbara Palvin got robbed. I would have much preferred she got a cover. They especially did her dirty with her video and shoot, There's some hot stuff in it, no doubt, but we should've gotten more angles of her.
Last edited:
Benn98
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2014
- Messages
- 42,532
- Reaction score
- 20,612
While I don't particularly agree with the 'get over it' phrase, I'm with you on the rest. THEORETICALLY. Because in reality it doesn't quite work like that and you can see by the heavy justifying and selling the EIC is doing in that WWD article. They can say the criticism is 'subjective', but they can't deny it nor the cultural landscape. It's not as if the product just goes directly from the print press to the reader - there are other detours involved, the media will comment on it before it even lands in the mailbox, social media will comment on it. And so the tone of those comments may jeopardise the product to the extent that by owning a 'cancelled' cover may mean you cosign to whatever it is considered to represent. I know, I know, you may not care, but there are people who do. So even though I agree with you entirely, I do also understand why everyone is so cautious nowadays. Especially if you're in the business of speaking to a large audience.
And Tyra has already marketed the s**t out of it by posting three essentially the same photos of the cover image on her IG and changing her profile picture to the aforementioned cover image. Complete with captions that champion inclusivity.
RMDV
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2017
- Messages
- 654
- Reaction score
- 497
