At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s 2024 premiere party in New York on Thursday, Olivia Dunne walked on the red carpet. On the publication’s 60th anniversary, the occasion was an important milestone. Livvy wore a gorgeous black jumpsuit with mesh panels at the waist, crystal decorations, and flared pant legs. She highlighted her elegance and sophistication with silver platform heels and sparkling tassel earrings, which finished off her appearance.

Dunne gave her followers a behind-the-scenes look at the afterparty by posting several photos on Instagram as the evening went on. Dunne’s Instagram post, which had ten photos, perfectly captured the spirit of the glamorous event. Alongside Christen Harper, Paige Spiranac, and Alexandra Pohl, she posed for pictures with other celebrities.

A laid-back and vulnerable moment was shown among the models and was highlighted in a specific slide. It showed Livvy’s unfiltered moment of having pizza with Ellie Thumann and Alexandra Pohl. Olivia Dunne’s fans, who are used to seeing the glossy and beautiful side of her life, enjoyed her honest representation. Dunne created a more personal connection with her admirers by sharing these moments, proving that even popular individuals in sports can appreciate the little things in life.

The last slide, which had Dunne eating McDonald’s with Brooks Nader, the model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover, showed an enjoyable moment. The post’s fun caption, “No boys allowed,” highlighted the afterparty’s spirit of friendship and lightheartedness. Livvy’s association with the SI swimsuit has garnered widespread attention since 2023, when he made her debut for it.

That year, Livvy’s photoshoot was set with Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. It had nearly broken the internet. That furor resurfaced in November last year when SI announced to bring back Livvy as a rookie in the 60th anniversary SI Swimsuit Issue.

“The decision to invite Livvy back to appear in the 2024 issue as a rookie was an easy one. Last year, we featured Livvy the D1 athlete, highlighting her accolades as an all-academic and an all star on the rise. This year, we are featuring Livvy as a well-established, industrious entrepreneur who is here to stay, who continues to break barriers, continues to work hard and forge an unforgettable path for herself and future generations of female athletes,” SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day has said about Livvy’s comeback. Livvy herself was also excited and made no bones about that.

SI Swimsuit features the flip side of Olivia Dunne

For the 2024 issue, Livvy traveled to Porto and North of Portugal, where she once again collaborated with Watts in the coastal European town. In a conversation with SI Swimsuit on that occasion, Livvy opened up about her thoughts. “Coming back for Year 2, I mean, last year I said it was a dream come true, and nothing’s changed, It’s still a dream come true. I can’t believe I can call myself a rookie. It feels unreal,” Livvy had said. Interestingly, that was not Livvy’s first association with Sports Illustrated.

In October last year, Livvy appeared in the Sports Illustrated cover story alongside fellow LSU athlete Angel Reese. Livvy credited that for her professional growth to a large extent. “Ever since my last SI shoot, I feel like it just opened a bunch of new doors into the modeling world and media world,” Livvy had said. Interestingly, while the internet is accustomed to finding Livvy’s bold appearances, she herself thinks that she still has some way to go about being self-confident. According to her, the SI Swimsuit photoshoot has given a boost to that. How?

“SI Swim means to me being comfortable in your own skin and being undeniably you, which is something I still work on to this day. Body image is something that a lot of girls struggle with…[body image is] a huge thing, and it’s something that I’m still working on to this day, being confident. But SI’s really helped me to see that it’s O.K. to not be perfect and to just be comfortable in your own skin,” Livvy had explained previously. Notably, this skin is not all about gymnastics and bold pictures. Livvy has another side as well.

Livvy’s success with NIL deals is stunning. Her lucrative partnerships with brands like Vuori, American Eagle, PlantFuel, and Accelerator Active Energy have brought seven-figure income. That led her to think of giving back to the society. That gave rise to the Livvy Fund, partnering with Bayou Traditions, in the summer of 2023.

“The Livvy Fund is so special to me. I’m blessed enough to have all these opportunities with NIL, and I just wanted to provide NIL opportunities for the women student-athletes at LSU,” Livvy had said about it. Looking at this MJ Day’s comments look all the more relevant. “Like all the incredible women that represent SI Swimsuit, Livvy stands out in her own unique and critical way,” Day had said about Livvy’s association with SI Swimsuit. Indeed, her boldness goes much beyond the gymnastics arena or social media platforms.