Erin Heatherton says she’s returning to her roots by appearing in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue.
The 25-year-old Victoria’s Secret supermodel from Skokie was an athlete first, playing AAU hoops and varsity basketball at Niles North.
The iconic Swimsuit Issue, which hits newsstands Monday, is something of a return to her sporting origins.
“I never really thought about doing Sports Illustrated,” Heatherton said in a phone interview Thursday. “And, all of a sudden I tried to focus my career on my roots and I thought that would be a really good place for me.
“I didn’t know anything about Sports Illustrated or Victoria’s Secret growing up. But then, obviously, I never thought of myself as someone who is sexy.”
Heatherton’s childhood revolved around basketball and various odd jobs throughout high school. She worked as a lifeguard at the Oakton Community Center, as a hostess at The Bonefish Grill and sold T-shirts with her cousin at Alpine Valley concerts.
She didn’t buy or read fashion magazines and, despite her good looks, hadn’t considered a career in modeling.
“I was raised in a very blue-collar household,” said Heatherton, whose parents still live in the Skokie home she grew up in. “I had three jobs, and if I wanted to buy clothes from the mall I had to buy them myself – and it wasn’t anything that would come from a fashion mag.”
Sports still play a significant role in her life.
Heatherton attended the Super Bowl last weekend, presented an award at the NFL Honors and even had a guest role in the fantasy football TV comedy The League.
I asked new SI Swimsuit model @ErinHeatherton to bring in some Bulls gear for video shoot. She brought this. Badass. pic.twitter.com/6reLEKH5yU
— Andy Gray (@AndyGray35) January 30, 2015
Big #SuperBowl weekend ahead = mid-week cuddle session thanks to my @TheNorthwest family! #MakeItOfficial pic.twitter.com/fanBnOcjmF
— Erin Heatherton (@ErinHeatherton) January 31, 2015
She discusses Chicago athletes Derrick Rose and Jay Cutler with the passion of a sports talk radio caller.
On Rose, Heatherton was even able to make a connection to her own life and work.
“When you come back,” Heatherton said, “whether from getting hurt or a shakeup in your career, your confidence and your comfort are shaken and so is your trust in your body. That’s a big part of modeling, too, is trusting your body. Being able to move without thinking. … I think confidence and the psychological part of the game are kind of underrated, and I think it just takes time.”
Heatherton was the first Swimsuit Issue “rookie” to be revealed for the upcoming magazine, which has previously featured Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Brooklyn Decker, Kate Upton and others.
She said the photoshoot was one of the most rewarding experiences of her modeling career.
“There is a reason why the girls that do it are chosen and there’s a reason it’s so successful,” Heatherton said. “I’ve never worked with a team like this Sports Illustrated team. They were so awesome, so cool and so fun, and it was such a positive experience. It was such an uplifting experience as a model.”
You can read more about Heatherton and her appearance in the SI Swimsuit Issue at si.com/swim-daily.
