Mumbai: Sports Illustrated – the most successful print franchise, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in some style. As a part of the anniversary celebrations, the Sports Illustrated India – Swimsuit Issue 2014 was launched in association with KamaSutra at Club Royalty, Mumbai, where Bollywood stars, socialites and top Indian models were in attendance. This star-studded launch featured a dramatic runway fashion show showcasing Ambika Sanjana’s latest designs and unveiling the BiKa Swimwear Spring/Summer 2015 collection.

With a provocative theme of 1947: Liberation, the show regaled guests with a historic and breathtaking procession of swimwear capturing the pivotal moment in India’s history. The event that was organised in association with KamaSutra as the Title Sponsor showcased the BiKa Swimwear Spring/Summer 2015 collection, featuring signature pieces with unique symbolic prints paying homage to India’s tryst with destiny in 1947, while heralding the trailblazing women that have brought India into the 21st century.

Elaborating on the magazine’s position as the most respected sports media brand in the world Mr Piyush Sharma, CEO of Media Transasia stated, “The Swimsuit franchise is clearly most coveted media brand franchise, eagerly awaited by fans the world over. Running into its fourth edition, the franchise has been growing tremendously, reinforcing the brand’s undisputed position. This issue—50 Years of Beautiful—is a glimpse of what the brand has meant down the years.”

Speaking about this association, Ranjukumar Mohan, Director and Business Head, KamaSutra said, “We are delighted to partner with Sports Illustrated India for the launch of the Swimsuit 2014 issue. Being a brand that introduced the idea of sex for pleasure in the early 90s was a bold step on the part of KamaSutra. Widening the horizons and introducing never-before-seen concepts has been our strategy throughout our products and campaigns. Working on this, we are likely to diversify more into various other personal care segments and look forward to associating with brands that celebrate the spirit of the modern woman.”

For its 50th anniversary issue Sports Illustrated has come up with “the happiest cover in swimsuit history”, the issue—themed Past, Present and Future—showcasing models who have featured in the magazine down the years. On the cover are three newbies—Chrissy Teigen, Lily Aldridge and Nina Agdal—clad in neon bikini bottoms. The trio has been photographed in the crystal blue waters of the Cook Islands, arms around each other and their smiling faces turned towards the shore. There are two very special sections in the magazine, one with swimsuit favourite Kate Upton in a zero-gravity plane at Cape Canaveral in Florida wearing a sexy gold bikini, and the other featuring 22 former cover models in the Salute to the Legends of Swimsuit segment. In keeping with the theme, this issue puts plenty of emphasis on history, also featuring veteran models Christie Brinkley, Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Brooklyn Decker.

Source: Lokesh Shastri