NEWSAlix Earle Sets Instagram Ablaze With Sizzling Bikini Photos: A Journey From TikTok to 'Sports Illustrated' Star
Alix Earle turns heads with sizzling bikini photos as she makes the leap from TikTok sensation to 'Sports Illustrated' model.
June 7 2025, Published 7:05 p.m. ET
From TikTok sensation to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, Alix Earle defines what it means to be an It Girl.
She gained fame by candidly sharing her battle with acne, allowing her beauty and authenticity to resonate with millions of followers. Now, she shines in magazine spreads, captivating fans with her stunning bikini shots featured in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
Alix Earle went from TikTok star to 'Sports Illustrated' model.
Alix made history in 2024 when she became the publication’s first-ever star on the digital cover.
“That’s what I try to preach and show,” Earle said about being authentic. “I definitely think of it as a brand. But that’s also a weird dynamic because it’s also me as a person. It’s been weird to rationalize in my mind, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job at it.”
“You feel like if something fails that you’re failing, because I am the brand,” she admitted. “But there’s so much reward to it.”
Alix Earle rose to fame by sharing her acne journey, inspiring millions with her honesty.
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She also was nervous to post her unfiltered life, but in the end knew it was the right thing to do.
“I thought no one was ever going to talk to me again,” Earle said. “It sounds stupid, but your skin can take such a mental toll on you and I had been at such a mentally low place. And for me to post that online was very, very scary. But immediately the response I was getting was girls saying Thank you for this or This is helping me so much or This is so nice to see real skin… That was really a catapult for me to realizing how important it is to share everything about you and not just only the good, highlighted, perfect parts.”
Alix Earle made history in 2024 when she became Sports Illustrated's first-ever digital cover star.
In the end, she's proud of how far she's come.
“That’s been a big pinch me moment of my career to be able to graduate as well as having a scholarship at the school,” she said. “A lot of people wondered why I wasn’t dropping out my senior year if I had a set plan. Getting my degree was always very important to me. The school was very motivating and pushed me to be my best self. So I’ve wanted to turn around that support and support other students following their dreams and doing the impossible.”
Alix Earle defines what it means to be an 'It Girl.'
Earle originally celebrated her milestone on social media.
"My @si_swimsuit cover story is officially here!!! Working with the SI Swim team on their FIRST ever digital cover has been such an honor!" the "Hot Mess" podcast host announced in a June 2024 Instagram post. "Thank you to everyone who worked on this extremely special cover feature and story."
