2022 might just be Kim Kardashian’s best year. Not only was it the year she wore late Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe’s legendary gold Jean Louis dress on the Met Gala red carpet, but it’s also the year she flaunted her unrivaled curves for the cover of Sports Illustrated‘s prestigious Swimsuit issue! And in a nude bikini no less!
The 41-year-old SKIMS founder was photographed by Greg Swales and styled by Danielle Levi in the Dominican Republic (we’re not jealous, honest!) and of course, the nude bikini she is rocking on the cover is from her very own SKIMS swimwear line. Momager Kris Jenner would be so proud!
View this post on Instagram
Sharing a carousel of pictures of the cover and some of the editorial images on May 17th, Kim wrote on Instagram: “OMG I’m a Sports Illustrated cover girl!!!! We shot this back in January and it’s been so hard to keep this cover a secret! For the location we went back to one of my favorite places in the world, the Dominican Republic!”
“It’s such an honor and a dream to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Bucket List goals!!!!Thank you to @mj_day, the @si_swimsuit team, @gregswalesart, @superrrdani, @mariodedivanovic, @chrisappleton1 and everyone who worked incredibly hard on this shoot to make it happen.”
View this post on Instagram
The editorial images are just as jaw-dropping as the cover, as the mom-of-four once again left very little to the imagination in her shots. In one image, she can be seen wearing a stunning SKIMS onepiece, teamed with Balenciaga sunglasses and Fox gloves, and in another, she is sporting the tiniest bikini bottoms, with a wet yellow Saint Luis vintage T-shirt with the slogan, “my lawyer can beat up your lawyer.” Is this a reference to her late father Robert Kardashian, or is it a reference to her own career as a lawyer?
Another one of the super-memorable pictures (but who are we kidding, they’re *all* memorable!) sees Kim wearing an Abysse swimsuit, teamed with fluorescent green Fox gloves, and posing on top of a motorcycle! Kim’s appearance in the magazine wasn’t just about posing for stunning pictures, as she also penned a heartfelt letter to her 18-year-old self. And we have to admit, we got a tad emotional reading it, especially as far as her words about being criticized were concerned!
View this post on Instagram
“It’s easy to say to just ignore the criticism, but another thing you’ll learn is that at some point it will click in your head that it’s not about you anymore,” Kim wrote. “It’s about family. It’s about helping other people. For years you’ll be putting yourself out there. But you’re going to become a more private person and you’re going to come to realize that the way to get your story out there — the actual narrative, the truth — isn’t by engaging but by doing.”
We also love the way she ended her letter to her younger self, as it made us aware that perhaps we haven’t seen the best of Kim yet! She concluded: “I don’t want to spoil it anymore and tell you all the things you’ll accomplish. But know this. When you get here, to May 2022, you’re not going to be content. You’re still going to be looking for that next ‘it.’ And when you find it, you’re going to do it—we’re going to do it—like we always do: to the fullest.”
