"Even at 81, It's Possible"…Oldest Swimsuit Cover Model Emerges in the US

'Sallim-ui Yeowang' Martha Stewart
Featured on SI Swimsuit Special Issue Cover
Once Led a US Publicly Traded Company Entrepreneur

Martha Stewart, the 'Queen of Homemaking,' who turned 81 this year, has become a swimsuit cover model for a famous sports magazine.

According to the New York Times (NYT) and CNN on the 15th (local time), Stewart appeared as one of the four covers of the Sports Illustrated (SI) swimsuit special issue published that day. She is the oldest model ever revealed for the SI swimsuit edition.

Martha Stewart (81), the Sports Illustrated (SI) cover model [Image source: Martha Stewart Twitter capture]

Stewart is a figure who rose as a 'homemaking master' in the United States by publishing the magazine 'Martha Stewart Living' in 1990, which contained her experiences in cooking, interior decoration, and homemaking.

Seven years later, she founded 'Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia,' encompassing various businesses such as publishing, retail, and internet marketing related to household goods, and it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1999.

However, in 2001, she was sentenced to prison for insider trading charges, and with the economic downturn in the 2000s halting business expansion, she went through a decline.

In this SI cover, Stewart showed a look that is hard to believe for an 81-year-old.

In an interview with the NYT, Stewart said about appearing as a swimsuit model at an advanced age, "I thought I could do this if I am physically and mentally healthy enough."

When the initial modeling offer came, she encouraged herself thinking, "There is no need to succumb to convention. I can do it."

Martha Stewart (81)

The preparation process was not always easy.

She had to do strenuous work for an 81-year-old, including doing Pilates at least three times a week and posing in nine different swimsuits over several hours.

Still, Stewart said that through this shoot held in the Dominican Republic, she reflected on her motto, "When change ends, life ends."

The NYT evaluated that Stewart has successfully transformed her image from a housewife to a lifestyle expert, broadcaster, entrepreneur, and now a cover model.

Stewart stated on Twitter, "I am happy to grace the cover of SI. I hope this cover inspires your new challenges."

SI also described this cover as "legendary," saying, "Our words that this year's cover would be the best ever were sincere."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.