Honestly, it’s hard to remember a time when Sports Illustrated didn’t feel like it was trying to break the internet every single February. But when the Kate Upton swimsuit edition 2017 dropped, things felt different. It wasn't just another magazine launch. It was a victory lap. By the time 2017 rolled around, Upton wasn't just a "model" in the traditional sense; she was a legitimate household name, a crossover star who had already graced the cover twice before in 2012 and 2013.
The 2017 reveal was special.
Usually, the editors pick one shot. One singular image to define the year. For Upton’s return, they couldn't settle. They released three separate covers, each capturing a slightly different vibe of the Michigan-born star. Some people thought it was overkill. Others saw it as the ultimate respect for the woman who basically saved the franchise’s cultural relevance during the early 2010s.
The Three-Cover Gamble and Why It Worked
Most people forget that by 2017, the media landscape was shifting fast. Instagram was becoming the primary way we consumed "glamour," and print magazines were scrambling to stay alive. MJ Day, the SI Swimsuit Editor, knew that bringing Kate back was the ultimate "break glass in case of emergency" move. But instead of just a nostalgic rehash, the Kate Upton swimsuit edition 2017 felt like a statement on body diversity and staying power.
She wasn't the "rookie" anymore.
Upton was 24. She’d been through the ringer of public opinion, from people criticizing her curves in the early days to her becoming a high-fashion darling on the cover of Vogue. The three covers for 2017 were shot in Fiji by Yu Tsai. They were distinct. One featured a sequined bikini bottom (and not much else), another was a more traditional close-up, and the third was a breezy, effortless shot that felt more like a candid moment than a high-production set.
It worked because it gave fans options. It created three times the "talkability" on social media. You weren't just looking at a magazine; you were debating which cover was the superior version. This kind of multi-cover strategy is common now, but back then, it felt like a massive coronation.
The Fiji Shoots: Behind the Scenes of the 2017 Issue
Shooting in Fiji sounds like a dream. In reality, these sets are grueling. You’ve got the humidity, the shifting light, and the constant battle against the tide. Kate has talked about this in various interviews—how people see the finished product and think she’s just lounging, when in reality she’s holding a core-shredding pose for six minutes while a wave hits her in the face.
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Yu Tsai, the photographer, is known for being intense. He pushes models to find a "character." For the Kate Upton swimsuit edition 2017, the character was "The Icon."
If you look closely at the lighting in those Fiji shots, it’s not that hyper-saturated, fake-looking blue you see in travel brochures. It’s warmer. It’s golden. It feels more mature. That was intentional. The editors wanted to show that Kate had evolved from the "dougie-dancing" teenager into a woman who commanded the industry.
What People Miss About the 2017 Roster
While Kate was the headliner, the 2017 issue was actually a pivot point for the entire brand. This was the same year that:
- Serena Williams made a massive appearance, proving the "athlete" side of the magazine was just as important as the "model" side.
- Christie Brinkley returned at age 63, appearing alongside her daughters.
- Bianca Balti and Lais Ribeiro brought a high-fashion edge that countered the "girl next door" trope.
Kate was the anchor for all of this. She provided the bridge between the old-school glamour and the new-school inclusivity.
Dealing With the "Body Image" Conversation
You can't talk about Kate Upton without talking about the "skinny vs. curvy" debate that followed her for a decade. By the time the Kate Upton swimsuit edition 2017 hit newsstands, that conversation had shifted. In 2012, she was an outlier. By 2017, the industry was finally catching up to the idea that "fit" and "healthy" didn't have a single look.
Kate was always vocal about this. She didn't want to be photoshopped into a different person. She’s gone on record multiple times—including a famous unretouched shoot for Health magazine later on—expressing how important it is to keep things real.
In the 2017 SI issue, you see a woman who is clearly spent hours in the gym—she’s famous for her heavy weightlifting routines with trainer Ben Bruno—but she still looks like a human being. Not a mannequin. That’s why women, not just men, started gravitating toward her. She was aspirational but didn't feel like a lie.
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Why 2017 Was the Peak of the "Supermodel" Era
We don't really have "Swimsuit Icons" anymore in the way we did ten years ago. Now, it’s all about TikTok creators and "influencers." The Kate Upton swimsuit edition 2017 was arguably the last time a single model's return to the magazine felt like a Super Bowl event.
Think about the timeline:
- 2011: Kate debuts and the "Dougie" video goes viral.
- 2012: Her first cover in Australia (the freezing cold one).
- 2013: The Antarctica cover (where she literally almost got frostbite).
- 2014: The Zero-G shoot (iconic, but not a cover).
- 2017: The Triple-Cover Return.
After 2017, the magazine started moving toward even more radical changes, like the "Burkini" shoot or focusing heavily on social activists. Those were great moves, but the 2017 issue was the "Greatest Hits" album of the traditional era. It was the perfect send-off to the version of SI that defined the 90s and 2000s.
How to Find the 2017 Content Today
If you're looking to track down the archives of this specific year, it’s actually harder than you’d think. Sports Illustrated has changed ownership a few times since then (from Time Inc. to Maven/Arena Group).
The best way to see the full Kate Upton swimsuit edition 2017 gallery is through the official SI Swimsuit digital archives, but a lot of the best "behind the scenes" footage is actually buried on YouTube. Look for the "In Her Own Words" segments. Kate’s commentary on the Fiji shoot is actually pretty funny—she’s surprisingly down-to-earth and spends a lot of time joking about how much sand gets into places it shouldn't be.
Identifying Original Copies
For collectors, the 2017 issue is a weird one. Because there were three covers, you have to be careful if you're buying them on eBay.
- Cover A: Kate in the water, hands behind her head. (Most common).
- Cover B: The sequined "rope" bikini. (Most sought after by collectors).
- Cover C: The close-up shot focusing on her face and the sunset.
Check for the "Special Double Issue" marking on the top left. If it doesn't have that, it might be a regional reprint or a "Best of" compilation, which isn't the same thing as the original February 2017 drop.
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The Cultural Ripple Effect
People still reference this shoot in fashion editorials today. The "natural glam" look—heavy on the sun-kissed skin and light on the heavy contour—became the blueprint for the "clean girl" aesthetic that dominated the 2020s. Kate and Yu Tsai essentially created a look that looked expensive but felt reachable.
It also solidified Kate's transition into motherhood and business. Shortly after this issue, she married Justin Verlander and started focusing more on her fitness platform, Strong4Me. She used the momentum of the 2017 cover to pivot. She knew she couldn't be "The Swimsuit Girl" forever, so she made sure her final major cover was her best one.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to appreciate or study the Kate Upton swimsuit edition 2017, don't just look at the photos. Look at the strategy.
- Study the lighting: If you’re a photographer, the Fiji shoot is a masterclass in using "Golden Hour" light to flatter different skin textures.
- Verify your prints: If you are buying the physical magazine, ensure the spine is intact; the 2017 issue was particularly thick and the glue often cracks.
- Follow the creators: Follow Yu Tsai and MJ Day on social media. They often post "vault" photos from this era that never made it into the magazine, including outtakes of Kate that are honestly better than the ones that were published.
- Look at the workout: Kate’s 2017 physique was built on heavy sled pushes and deadlifts. If you want the "Kate Upton look," look for Ben Bruno’s training programs from that specific year; they are still some of the most effective strength-training routines for women.
The 2017 issue remains a high-water mark for celebrity branding. It was the moment Kate Upton proved she wasn't just a flash in the pan—she was the standard.
To see the legacy of this shoot, you only have to look at how modern models like Hunter McGrady or Camille Kostek handle their covers. They all cite Kate as the one who broke the door down. She made it okay to have a personality, to have a body that didn't fit the "heroin chic" mold, and to demand more than one cover if the work deserved it.
If you're going to collect one modern era of SI, 2017 is the one to get. It’s the end of an era and the start of a new one, all wrapped in a Fiji sunset. Use the specific cover IDs to make sure you get the full set, as the value of the "Triple Threat" collection has actually stayed surprisingly steady in the secondary market. Check local used bookstores before hitting the big auction sites; you’d be surprised how many of these are sitting in "legacy" stacks for a few bucks.