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11h ago

Lauren Chan Becomes First Out Lesbian Solo Cover Star for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

The 2025 issue, featuring Chan among four cover models, highlights Sports Illustrated's commitment to inclusivity under MJ Day's leadership.

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Lauren Chan walks the runway at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit show on June 1, 2024.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11: Model and Herring designer Lauren Chan wears a black blazer, black trousers, and black leather Loewe bag after the Jonathan Simkhai show on September 11, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Melodie Jeng/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Lauren Chan has been revealed as one of four cover models for the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, making history as the first out lesbian to appear solo on a cover.
  • Chan, a former Glamour fashion editor and founder of the plus-size brand Henning, has built her career advocating for representation of plus-size, LGBTQ+, and AAPI communities.
  • She first joined Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2023 as the brand's first queer plus-size model and continues to champion the dismantling of narrow beauty ideals.
  • The cover photo, shot in Bermuda in March 2025, reflects Chan's recent engagement and features size-inclusive fashion brands Cult Gaia and Alexis Bittar.
  • Under editor-in-chief MJ Day, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has expanded its focus on diversity, platforming models of various identities, ages, and body types.