We’re so over winter! Thankfully, no matter what the thermometer reads today, it already feels hotter. That’s because we’re still reeling over the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 50th anniversary issue cover, which was revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night.
Hopefully the sneak peek will tide us over until the mag hits newsstands Feb. 18.
On the heels of this special issue, Target is paying homage to 50 years of swimwear style and making a splash with a limited-edition golden anniversary collection, available exclusively at U.S. Target stores and Target.com/swim. The glam color palette—gold, black and ivory—sexy styles and sophisticated accents are suited for any occasion, from seaside splashing to poolside partying
We stopped by the Sports Illustrated studio to chat with Swimsuit issue editor MJ Day about the collection. She also gave us the inside scoop on her favorite past covers, why Kate Upton’s cover was the bomb and what she loves most about editing the issue. Dive in below!
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What is your favorite part about editing the Swimsuit issue?
Editing the issue gives you a ton of opportunities and unreal experiences. I get to travel, explore the world and meet amazing people along the way.
Do you have an all-time favorite SI Swimsuit cover?
I have lots of favorite covers; it’s really hard to pick just one! One I hold dear to my heart is last year’s 2013 cover with Kate Upton shot in Antarctica. Can’t really beat that.
Do you have a favorite cover model from the past?
Each Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model brings something different to the table, and that’s what we hope for with each issue. It’s not really about one cover model in general—it’s about how special and individual each cover model is year after year.
If you could go back in time and edit one past Swimsuit issue, which would it be?
I would love to have styled the 1965 Swimsuit issue, which was the second issue ever. It came on the coattails of the infamous Rudi Gernich topless bathing suit that hit in the scene in 1964. The issue was called “Nearly Naked.” It featured really innovative swimwear from that time—a lot of fishnet, which we’ve seen pretty much every year since. It was also a time when the swimwear market wasn’t as developed as it is now, so the founding editor Jule Campbell had to approach specific designers to make swimsuits especially for the issue. There was a lot of collaboration, and the swimsuits pushed boundaries. I would have loved to be a part of that.
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