When Kate Upton is considered the most voluptuous model to ever grace the cover of the famed Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, it’s almost impossible to imagine what the magazine is up to for its next installment.
For the first time ever, SI will feature a plus-size swimwear ad. The campaign, for swimwear retailer SwimsuitsForAll, stars size-16 model Ashley Graham in a black string bikini.
“I know my curves are sexy, and I want everyone else to know that theirs are, too,” Graham said in a statement. “There is no reason to hide and every reason to flaunt. The world is ready for more curves in bikinis.”
Graham has been a working model since 2003 and has graced the pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Vogue. But it wasn’t until she appeared in a Lane Bryant lingerie commercial that was reportedly banned from being aired on some networks that she gained notoriety and began speaking out on the need for more plus-size models.
“Tastes and body types change over time, and curves have never been more in,” said SwimsuitsForAll CEO Moshe Laniado. “There is no better way to celebrate and show off than by donning a bikini. When the #CurvesinBikinis ad in Sports Illustrated is released, the world will be watching, and they’ll like what they see.”
The hotly anticipated issue hits newsstands Feb. 9. Until then, check out exclusive images from the campaign and the full video below.
