Sports Illustrated was founded in 1954. However, the magazine’s swimsuit runway show has made it a household name. This runway show looked very similar to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show until recently. However, they changed its concept this year. The show features models who aren’t conforming to outdated beauty standards, and they proudly walk down the runway.
We decided to look at photos from the 2022 Sports Illustrated swimsuit runway shows. The magazine cover shows a 75-year-old woman who is still highly sought after as a model. It’s also in the bonus section.
What Makes The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show So Unique?
The 2022 show featured ordinary women who were physicists, construction workers, and professional models.
A unique aspect of this show was the fact that anyone could participate. Based on the submitted photos and videos, the magazine editors chose the models to walk the runway. We decided to meet some of the models who walked on the runway and stood out.
Hunter McGrady
Hunter McGrady began her modeling career when she was just 15 years old. At 19, she pivots her job to become a plus-size model.
Hunter, 29, is Sports Illustrated’s most curvy swimsuit model today. She says she loves her body and feels great. Hunter’s older sister was also a co-host of their podcast about modeling.
Jasmine Sanders
Jasmine Sanders began her modeling career at age 13. Sanders, a 30-year-old model, said that being in the industry early can lead to many negative emotions. “But I tried to make myself known and get people to see that my body is beautiful.”
My cellulite will be visible if you see me on a bikini runway. Because my body is like everyone else’s, you’ll see stretch marks. She said, “I love my body and have learned how to accept every change and curve.”
Ashley Byrd
Ashley Byrd was a former construction worker before she walked the runway. Byrd wanted the opportunity to model herself in a large city. To fulfill her dream, she first had to save money. Construction workers were well-paid then.
Byrd claims she didn’t intend to work in construction but ended up staying there for a few more years. She claims that it helped her modeling career, as other work was not difficult after working in the extreme cold and scorching heat.
Byrd said that her dream has been participating in the Sports Illustrated runway shows. She feared rejection and didn’t want to apply for the show. All her previous attempts at modeling jobs ended in a “NO”. She did not give up and sent the video to the magazine, showing that she qualified for the show.
Camille Kostek
Camilla Kostek started working with Sports Illustrated in 2017. However, she had her first steps in modeling a few years before that. Her career did not go smoothly. Agencies kept telling her that she was too short (5’8”) and thin enough. Her beauty impressed the magazine’s editors, and she has been on the magazine’s pages five times and on the cover once.
Kostek is also involved in social activities. For a few years, Kostek has been visiting colleges and universities in America to present her show. She talks about self-acceptance, body image, and how to live a happy life.
Manju Bangalore
Manju Bangalore, unlike other models, began her collaboration with Sports Illustrated magazine with the 2022 show. The issue with her photograph won’t be published until next year. Bangalore is a scientist-astronaut candidate and physicist, one of the most unusual models.
She is also a scientist and leads two charitable projects. The first helps women find the necessary products for personal hygiene, while the second offers free art classes and painting supplies to people with Parkinson’s disease.
Shannon Burton
Shannon Burton began modeling fifteen years ago. She was 35 when she started modeling, the same age many models retire from the fashion industry. The model acknowledged that she had been told “no” several times due to her age. However, she refused to give up and said, “I turned fifty in March, and it was the perfect way for me to celebrate such an important milestone.” “So I did it all.”
Burton stated that she has 2 teenage daughters, who Burton spoke of in an interview. I want them to see my mom pushing boundaries and being strong so that they can feel empowered in their own lives.”
Denise Austin
Denise Austin is rightly regarded as one of the pioneers in the fitness industry. For over 40 years, she has been a trainer and an author of books about healthy lifestyles. Denise is now 65 years old, but you can see in this photo that she is in great shape. Austin assists women over 50 to achieve the body they desire.
Austin walked the runway with Katie, her daughter, and a trainer. Austin, the most senior model at the Sports Illustrated swimsuit runway shows, said she had a special feeling walking the runway with her daughter.
Bonus: Maye Musk
Although Maye Musk did not participate in the swimsuit showcase, her photo was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2022. Musk, who will be 75 next year, has been involved in fashion for over 50 years.
Do you believe women of all sizes should be allowed to walk on the runway? Comment below to share your thoughts.
