Barbie has become the oldest woman to grace the cover of Sport Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition.
At 55, the iconic doll is some three decades older than the average cover model, not that you can tell – an unchanging figure is a definite perk of being crafted entirely out of plastic.
Mattel and Sport Illustrated teamed up to create the souvenir cover to celebrate the release of the 50th issue of the magazine’s annual swimwear special next week.
Barbie – dressed in a replica of the swimsuit the first-ever doll wore when she was launched in 1959 – will appear in a four-page feature in the upcoming magazine and a special Sports Illustrated Barbie will also be sold in the US and online.
Barbie on the “cover” of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition.
The Sports Illustrated Barbie is wearing a replica of the swimsuit the first ever Barbie wore in 1959.
1964: On the Cover: Babette March Photographed by: J. Frederick Smith
1965: On the Cover Sue Peterson photographed by: Jay Maisel
1966: On the Cover: Sunny Bippus Photographed by: Howell Conant
1967: On the Cover: Lynn Tindall Photographed by: Jay Maise
1968: On the Cover: Turia Mau Photographed by: John G. Zimmerman
1969: On the Cover: Jamee Becker Photographed by: Ernst Haas
1970: On the Cover: Cheryl Tiegs Photographed by: Jay Maisel
1971: On the Cover: Tannia Rubiano Photographed by: Robert Huntzinger
1972: On the Cover: Sheila Roscoe Photographed by: John G. Zimmerman
1973: On the Cover: Dayle Haddon Photographed by: Walter Iooss Jr.
1974: On the Cover: Ann Simonton Photographed by: Jay Maisel
1975: On the Cover: Cheryl Tiegs Photographed by: Walter Iooss Jr.
1976: On the Cover: Yvette and Yvonne Sylvander Photographed by: Kourken Pakchanian
1977: On the Cover: Lena Hansbod Photographed by: Art Kane
1978: On the Cover: Maria Joao Photographed by: Walter Iooss, Jr
1979: On the Cover: Christie Brinkley Photographed by: Walter Iooss Jr.
1980: On the Cover: Christie Brinkley Photographed by: John G. Zimmerman
1981: On the Cover: Christie Brinkley Photographed by: John G. Zimmerman
1982: On the Cover: Carol Alt Photographed by: John G. Zimmerman
1983: On the Cover: Cheryl Tiegs Photographed by: Walter Iooss, Jr.
1984: On the Cover: Paulina Porizkova Photographed by: Paolo Curto
1985: On the Cover: Paulina Porizkova Photographed by: Brian Lanke
1986: On the Cover: Elle Macpherson Photographed by: Brian Lanker
1987: On the Cover: Elle Macpherson Photographed by: Brian Lanker
1988: On the Cover: Elle Macpherson Photographed by: John G. Zimmerman