Jule Campbell

Jule Campbell ( – November 19, 2022) was an American magazine editor. She was the founding editor of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which she oversaw for 32 years from its creation in 1964 until her retirement in 1996. Under her editorship, the annual feature grew from a brief mid-winter photo spread into one of the most profitable and widely discussed franchises in American magazine publishing, and it was credited with helping to launch the careers of models including Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley, Paulina Porizkova, Elle Macpherson, Kathy Ireland and Tyra Banks.

Career Early career

Campbell graduated from Stephens College in Missouri and studied journalism at the University of Missouri. The resulting cover feature, with model Babette March photographed in a white two-piece swimsuit, is considered the first Swimsuit Issue. The visibility the issue provided helped usher in the era of the supermodel. The film had its world premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival in October 2024 and was subsequently screened at festivals including the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Montclair Film Festival and DOC NYC. It features interviews with Campbell and with models whose careers she supported, including Brinkley, Banks, Macpherson, Porizkova, Ireland and Carol Alt, and received awards including Best Documentary at the Omaha Film Festival.