Kate Upton, one of America’s premier models, wore a custom, hand-knit swimsuit by Rockville Centre's Kate Preston in the 2013 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
Photographer Derek Kettela accompanied Upton and Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit editor MJ Day to Antarctica for the first-ever fashion photo shoot on the continent.
The design for "The Kate Swimsuit" was inspired by traditional Irish fishermen’s cable-knit sweaters, fitting for a swimsuit photo shoot in the sub-zero Antarctic climate.
The suit was handmade by Preston, with knitting needles and Malabrigo Twist yarn. The garment took approximately 40 hours to design and hand-knit.
Preston is a member of the Knitting Guild Association and is enrolled in its program to receive the designation as a master knitter. She heads the local chapter of Care to Knit, a non-profit organization that donates hand-knitted items to veterans’ hospitals, children’s hospitals and shelters.
The Rockville Centre native founded "Learn-to-Knit with Katie" in 2010. She holds several classes weekly, coaching her students on their knitting projects.
Preston resides in RVC with her husband and three boys.
The magazine’s crew and models traveled to seven continents in seven months for its 50th anniversary issue. The magazine hit newsstands on Feb. 12.
