Kate Upton on a boat in Fiji. That’s usually the first thing people remember when they think back to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 release. It was her third cover, a feat that put her in the stratosphere with legends like Christie Brinkley and Elle Macpherson. But if you look past the glossy turquoise water and the predictable star power, that specific year was doing something much noisier under the surface. It wasn't just about selling magazines anymore. The brand was frantically trying to figure out how to stay relevant in a world where Instagram was already eating their lunch.
Honestly, 2017 felt like a fever dream for the franchise.
They decided to go all-in on "diversity" before it became a corporate buzzword everyone ignored. We saw Christie Brinkley return at age 63, posing with her daughters, Alexa Ray Joel and Sailor Brinkley Cook. It was a massive deal. People were used to seeing 19-year-old rookies, not a woman who had her first SI cover before the internet even existed. That move alone shifted the conversation from "look at this body" to "look at this legacy." It was smart. It was also necessary because, by then, the "print is dead" sirens were screaming pretty loud.
The Kate Upton Triple Threat and the Fiji Factor
Landing the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 wasn't just a win for Upton; it was a statement by MJ Day, the franchise's editor. They didn't just give Kate one cover. They gave her three. Each one was shot by Yu Tsai in Fiji, and they all had a slightly different vibe. One was a close-up, one was a bit more athletic, and one was the classic "glamour" shot.
Why do three? Because the brand was obsessed with "The Year of the Fan." They wanted to create a multi-platform explosion. Fiji provided the perfect backdrop—raw, expensive-looking, and vibrant. It's funny, though, because while the images look effortless, the logistics of hauling a massive crew to the South Pacific just to find the perfect lighting at 5:00 AM is a nightmare. Upton handled it like a pro, which is probably why they keep calling her back. She knows how to move. She knows how to sell a bikini that costs more than a month's rent.
But the 2017 issue had layers. It wasn't just the Kate Upton show.
Breaking the Age Barrier with Christie Brinkley
You've gotta give it to Christie Brinkley. Standing next to your daughters in a swimsuit issue at 63 takes a level of confidence most of us can't fathom. This was the "Ageless" era of SI. It worked. The media went nuts for it. It challenged the idea that the swimsuit issue was a ticking clock for models. By including Brinkley, SI tapped into a demographic that actually still buys physical magazines: people who remember the 80s.
It wasn't just a stunt. It felt like a passing of the torch, or maybe a refusal to put the torch out. Sailor Brinkley Cook made her debut here too, and while "nepo baby" wasn't the dominant term back then, the industry was clearly leaning into family dynasties. It made the issue feel more like a lifestyle brand and less like a catalog.
The Rookie Class That Changed the Game
The 2017 rookie class was stacked. Seriously.
- Bianca Balti: The Italian bombshell who looked like she stepped out of a 1950s cinema screen.
- Danielle Herrington: Who would eventually go on to get her own cover.
- Myla Dalbesio: A model who had been vocal about the "plus-size" label and how limiting it was.
- Lais Ribeiro: A Victoria's Secret veteran who finally got her SI nod.
Mia Kang was also in there. She won the 2016 model search, and her story was actually interesting—she’s a Muay Thai fighter with a master’s degree. SI started leaning heavily into these "multi-hyphenate" stories. They wanted you to know that these women weren't just faces. They were athletes, activists, and intellectuals. Whether or not the average reader cared about a master's degree while looking at beach photos is debatable, but it gave the brand the "empowerment" shield it desperately needed to deflect criticism from a changing social landscape.
Serena Williams and the Power of the Athlete
Then there was Serena Williams.
She wasn't a "model" in the traditional sense, but she dominated her spread. Shot in the Exumas, Serena’s inclusion in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 was a reminder that the magazine started as a sports publication. Her photos were polarizing—some people loved the celebration of her strength, while others (mostly trolls) did what they do best. But Serena didn't care. She used the platform to showcase a body that was built for performance, not just aesthetics. It was a high-water mark for the "Body Lab" section of the franchise.
The Cultural Shift: Why 2017 Was Different
Basically, the 2017 issue was the last gasp of the old-school "mega-issue" before the brand shifted almost entirely to digital-first social activism.
You saw the beginning of the end for the tiny, string-bikini-only era. They started experimenting with body paint (again), but this time featuring athletes like Simone Biles and Aly Raisman. Seeing Olympic gymnasts—who had just come off a massive gold medal run in Rio—posing in the issue brought a different kind of prestige. It wasn't about sex appeal; it was about national pride and physical excellence.
Raisman and Biles used their shoots to talk about their experiences and their bodies in a way that felt authentic. This was also right before the massive reckoning in the gymnastics world, making their appearance in a major "beauty" publication feel like a claim of ownership over their own images.
The Logistics of a Global Shoot
Think about the carbon footprint of this one issue. They went to:
- Fiji (Upton)
- Turks & Caicos (Brinkley family)
- Anguilla
- Mexico
- Samos, Greece
- Curaçao
It was a massive undertaking. The Samos shoot with Vita Sidorkina and others was particularly beautiful, capturing that Mediterranean light that makes everything look like a dream. But this kind of global production is expensive. Really expensive. As print revenues started to dip across the board, the 2017 issue felt like one of the last "budget is no object" productions.
The Controversy You Probably Forgot
There’s always a bit of noise, right?
In 2017, the conversation started shifting toward the "male gaze." Critics argued that no matter how many doctors or athletes you put in the magazine, it was still a product designed for men. SI countered by pointing out that their female viewership was skyrocketing. They started marketing more toward women—talking about swimwear trends, skincare, and confidence. It was a pivot. Some called it genius; some called it a reach.
Regardless of where you land, you can't deny that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 issue was a transition point. It tried to bridge the gap between the "supermodel" era and the "influencer" era. It featured traditional stars like Hannah Jeter (who was pregnant during her shoot, though you couldn't tell) alongside the new guard of social media savvy models.
What We Can Learn From the 2017 Era
Looking back, the 2017 issue teaches us that brands have to evolve or die. SI chose to evolve by diversifying their cast. They didn't do it perfectly, and they certainly didn't please everyone, but they stayed in the conversation.
If you're looking for actionable insights from this specific year in pop culture, it’s about the power of personal branding. The models who thrived after 2017—like Ashley Graham (who returned as a vet that year) or Kate Upton—didn't just rely on the magazine. They used the magazine as a springboard to build their own empires.
How to Use the SI 2017 Blueprint for Your Own Brand
If you're a creator or a marketer, there are actually a few things to take away from how SI handled that year:
- Vary Your Assets: Don't just release one "cover." Create multiple versions of your core product to appeal to different segments of your audience. SI did this with the three Kate Upton covers.
- Leverage Legacy: If you have an older, established audience, don't ignore them. The Christie Brinkley feature was a masterclass in nostalgic marketing.
- Integrate Authority: Bringing in Serena Williams or Simone Biles added "expert" credibility to a "lifestyle" product. Whatever you're doing, bring in someone who is the best in their field to validate it.
- Humanize the "Stars": The behind-the-scenes videos from the 2017 shoots in Fiji and Mexico were just as popular as the photos. People want to see the struggle, the laughter, and the "real" moments.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2017 issue wasn't just a collection of photos. It was a snapshot of a brand trying to find its soul in a digital world. It was messy, beautiful, expensive, and iconic all at once. It proved that even in a world of endless free content on Instagram, a well-curated, high-production "event" could still stop the world—at least for a weekend.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts and Researchers:
- Analyze the Archival Footage: Go back and watch the "Making Of" videos from the 2017 Fiji shoots. Pay attention to the lighting techniques used by Yu Tsai; it’s a masterclass for aspiring photographers.
- Compare and Contrast: Look at the 2017 roster versus the 2024 roster. You’ll see the exact moment the brand shifted from "model-first" to "personality-first" casting.
- Study the PR Rollout: Research the talk-show circuit Kate Upton and Christie Brinkley did in February 2017. It’s a perfect example of how to coordinate a massive multi-media launch.