Let's get one thing clear, Sports Illustrated has nothing to do with high fashion. Nevertheless, I will admit to always having had a penchant for SI's annual swimsuit issue. I have collected every swimsuit edition dating back to 1974 (my birth year) and am most fond of the era belonging to swimsuit editor and founder Jule Campbell. Back in the day, Campbell exercised complete autonomy over the issue, from the selection of models, to the bathing suits, sites and photographers. In an interview for SI's 25th Anniversary swimsuit issue in 1989, president of Ford Models Eileen Ford revealed in reference to the lucrative nature of an SI booking that "Everybody's praying Jule will take her. Praying." And for a select few including Paulina Porizkova, Christie Brinkley, Kelly Emberg, Kim Alexis, Carol Alt, Renee Simonsen, Elle MacPherson, Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford, and Naomi Campbell, those prayers were answered.
A lot has changed since then but still every year I look forward to the swimsuit issue and spend the weeks leading up to the release date concocting lists of who I think should appear in the issue. This year I stayed up late to witness SI's swimsuit cover reveal on David Letterman and happened to be surfing the net for clues when I stumbled across a leaked photo of Kate Upton on what appeared to be the cover. I happen to like Upton and think that she would indeed be a cover worthy candidate but was convinced that the leaked cover was a hoax because the image that I was confronted with was a complete and utter train-wreck. The image, featuring a heavily airbrushed Upton in an unflattering, awkward pose with her upper anatomy spilling out of a bikini top and bottom, would have been more appropriate on the cover of Hustler magazine.
A few days have passed since the official unveiling of SI's swimsuit issue and I have had some time to digest what is in my opinion the worst cover in SI Swimsuit history. Which is a real shame given that this year's edition has a lot of positives, namely the return of Izabel Goulart, Ariel Meredith, Alyssa Miller, Jessica Gomes, Anne Vyalitsyna, Irina Shayk and the gorgeous Chrissy Teigen. Also equally impressive are the 2012 rookies, in particular the super articulate Crystal Renn, Costa Rican cutie Jessica Perez, and Vanessa Williams look-a-like Kirby Griffin. The issue itself and the online website feature an abundance of beautiful images which would have been so much more cover worthy. Below are some of the highlights of SI 2012, that is if you can bring yourself to look beyond the unfortunate cover featuring Ms Upton.
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| Cover Debacle - Kate Upton Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Walter Iooss Jr |
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| Izabel Goulart Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - James Macari Source - womenmanagement.blogspot.com |
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| Kirby Griffin Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Derek Kettela Source - womenmanagement.blogspot.com |
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| Cintia Dicker Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2012 Photographer - Derek Kettela Source - marilynnewyork.blogspot.com |
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| Irina Shayk Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Derek Kettela |
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| Crystal Renn Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Walter Iooss Jr |
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| Anne Vyalitsyna Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - James Macari Source - womenmanagement.blogspot.com |
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| Chrissy Teigen Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - James Macari |
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| Ariel Meredith Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Bjorn Iooss |
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Chrissy Teigen Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - James Macari |
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| Ariel Meredith Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Bjorn Iooss |
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| Jessica Perez Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Bjorn Iooss |
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| Jessica Gomes Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Walter Iooss Jr |
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| Irina Shayk Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Derek Kettela |
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| Alyssa Miller Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - James Macari |
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| Nina Agdal Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - James Macari |
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| Adaora Akubilo Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2012 Photographer - Walter Iooss Jr Unless otherwise stated all images courtesy of si.com |