Martha Stewart has made history, becoming the oldest Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover star at age 81.
Known for her cookbooks, business and lifestyle advice, SI Swim deemed Stewart the “OG of influencers”. Now, she’s breaking barriers to add swimsuit model to her extensive career.
“My motto has always been: ‘when you’re through changing, you’re through,’ so I thought, why not be up for this opportunity of a lifetime?” Stewart wrote on Instagram. “I hope this cover inspires you to challenge yourself to try new things, no matter what stage of life you are in.”
The photoshoot, by photographer Ruven Afanador, showcases Stewart posing in swimsuits in a variety of locations throughout the Dominican Republic.
Speaking to why Stewart was chosen as one of the magazine’s 2023 cover stars, SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day said: “Never in her life has she let her circumstances dictate her outcome.”
“She’s changed with the times– always one step ahead, it seems– to build a wide-reaching business empire”.
Stewart first rose to fame in the 1980s after writing many successful cookbooks. Since then, she’s written even more books, launched her own magasin, opened a restaurant, starred in various media programs and currently hosts The Martha Stewart Podcast.
Revealing the news of her Sports Illustrated cover on The Today Show, Stewart said “the whole ageing thing is so boring”.
And thinking back to when she first realised she would be the oldest person on the cover, Stewart said, “I don’t think about age very much, but I thought that this is kind of historic.”
The other women chosen for SI Swimsuit’s 2023 issues include Megan Fox, Kim Petras and Brooks Nader.