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Tiffany Haddish, Alix Earle and More Looks We’re Still Obsessing Over From SI Swimsuit’s VIP Launch Party

The 2026 edition of the magazine dropped on Tuesday, May 12, and the models featured took over New York City all weekend long.
Tiffany Haddish and Alix Earle
Tiffany Haddish and Alix Earle | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

The latest edition of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit dropped last week on Tuesday, May 12. The annual issue was filled with famous faces and fan-favorite celebrities, with four standout stars gracing the cover: millennial icon Hilary Duff, actor and comedian Tiffany Haddish, content creator and brand mogul Alix Earle and four-time SI Swimsuit model Nicole Williams English.

To celebrate the occasion, SI Swimsuit took over New York City this past weekend, beginning at the Hard Rock Hotel New York on Thursday, May 14. There, the magazine welcomed the stylish stars in attendance to walk the red carpet before they headed inside to enjoy a VIP launch party, with recording artist Fetty Wap on hand to get everyone hyped.

And you better believe every single star came dressed to perfection in some seriously daring designer looks we still can’t stop thinking about. So we’re spotlighting just a handful of our favorites from the high-energy event for your viewing pleasure—oh no, no need to thank us!

Olandria Carthen

Olandria Carthen
Olandria Carthen | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

Carthen made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2026, joining the magazine for the first time at South Seas resort for a radiant rookie debut on Captiva Island, Fla. For the party, the reality TV star-turned-model rocked a flowing tan gown crafted with a chic, semi-sheer fabric. A cut-out across the midriff and shiny hardware pieces, which provided a unique mix of textures, set the daring look apart. She then accessorized the piece with coordinating jewelry to match the aforementioned hardware, opting for a glossy, summer-ready glam.

Alix Earle

Alix Earle
Alix Earle | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

Earle—one of the four cover stars featured in this year’s issue—went all out for the exciting evening in an unforgettable gold mini dress. The sultry piece was crafted in a netted style, giving glimpses of the content creator’s physique and an overall nautical vibe, which was more than a little on theme. Her 2026 cover moment marks Earle's third shoot with the magazine, having debuted back in 2024 as its first-ever digital issue cover star.

Bethenny Frankel

Bethenny Frankel
Bethenny Frankel | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

Frankel initially joined SI Swimsuit in 2025 on the runway at Swim Week in Miami. In 2026, she returned, gracing the pages for her rookie debut in the annual print issue. For the red carpet, the host opted for jewel tones, rocking an elegant emerald gown with a fitted bodice and fringed skirt. The draping was pure Old Hollywood, and her soft glam glowed beneath the spotlights.

Tiffany Haddish

Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

Another SI Swimsuit 2026 cover star, Haddish, opted for a pop of color in a sweet cherry-red midi dress. The ruching provided plenty of fun texture, hugging the actor’s form for a classic hourglass silhouette, further elevated by the flirty floral appliques. She accessoried with gold open-toed heels and coordinating jewelry—though our favorite part had to be her adorable bob haircut, which was styled with gentle waves.

Gabi Moura

Gabi Moura
Gabi Moura | Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty Images

Finally, content creator Moura sported a marvelously monochrome ensemble comprising a mini dress with cap sleeves and a sweetheart neckline, opaque tights and coordinating pumps with gold details. She wore her brunette hair down for an effortlessly chic, cool-girl moment, further elevated by her mixed metal jewelry. Moura, who has 15 million followers across all social media, was also a rookie with the magazine this year, taking to sunny Fort Myers, Fla., for an unforgettable debut feature.


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Allie Hayes
ALLIE HAYES

Allie Hayes is an experienced pop culture staff writer and editor specializing in movies, TV and celebrity news. Before joining the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit team as a Breaking/Trending News Editor, she worked at several outlets including BuzzFeed, The Daily Dot, and Newsweek. When she’s not writing for work (or writing for fun), you’ll find her curled up on the couch reading yet another romance novel, obsessively watching pro wrestling with her friends, or taking blurry photos of her two adorable cats.