The highly anticipated first look at the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has arrived, featuring TikTok sensation Alix Earle in a breathtaking international debut.
The 25-year-old influencer, who has become a dominant force in digital media, traveled to Botswana this month for a high-concept photoshoot set against the lush backdrop of the Boro River.
Partnering with luxury travel experts Abercrombie & Kent, the production utilized the intimate Stanley’s Camp and Baines’ Lodge to provide a raw, natural aesthetic for the upcoming May release.
Alix Earle leaves her fans stunned with a video shared on social media.
Earle‘s return to the magazine for her third consecutive year marks a significant milestone in her transition from “Get Ready With Me” videos to high-fashion modeling.
For the Botswana feature, Earle was photographed by the renowned Ruven Afanador, wearing a minimalist, beaded bikini top from designer Audrey Blake, paired with MIKOH shorts and a signature body chain by The Invisibles.
The imagery, which highlights the unique wetland habitat of the Okavango Delta, captures Earle in a field setting that emphasizes the “wild” theme of the 2026 issue.
Veteran legends and emerging stars unite in the African wilderness
The Botswana roster represents a strategic blend of SI Swimsuit history and fresh Hollywood talent. Joining Earle is franchise staple Camille Kostek, who is celebrating her eighth consecutive appearance in the magazine.
Kostek, the 2018 Swim Search co-winner and longtime partner of NFL great Rob Gronkowski, was photographed in a starkly different setting than Earle, posing indoors in a white Myra Swim top and linen trousers.
The shoot also features returning models Achieng Agutu and Penny Lane, alongside 2026 rookie Meredith Mickelson. Mickelson, an actress and model with over four million followers, described the experience on social media as the “best day of my life” after her first official rookie image was unveiled on March 17.
The release of the photos follows a whirlwind week for Earle on the Hollywood social circuit. On Sunday night, March 15, the influencer was spotted leaving the prestigious Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in a star-studded entourage.
Earle piled into an SUV alongside Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Canadian singer Tate McRae, and influencer Stassie Karanikolaou. While the sighting briefly ignited social media “shipping” theories, sources close to the group clarified that the ride was a logistical necessity following a night of rubbing elbows with the film industry’s elite.
