Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue: Ashley Graham Shows Off Curves At SI Party In New York [VIDEO]

The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue is highly anticipated every year, and it could very well be the most popular issue of the magazine each year. Each year, there is always a lot of fanfare surrounding whichever young model or celebrity that graces the cover of the issue, and this year was no different.

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The real story of this year's issue, however, is not the cover girl or any of the athletes that are featured in the magazine. Instead, Ashley Graham has dominated many of the headlines surrounding the magazine this year.

Graham is a plus-sized model, and she became the first such model ever to appear in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. There is one other plus-sized model - Robyn Lawley - that appears in the issue this year as well.

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According to The Daily Mail, SI was hosting a party in New York, and Graham turned heads when she made her appearance. She was wearing a tight black dress with black heels, along with a diamond bracelet and earrings.

The low-cut dress allowed Graham to turn heads by showing of her curves and her cleavage, and she said afterward that she thinks the world wants to see more curves. "I know my curves are sexy and I want everyone else to know that theirs are too," she said.

"There is no reason to hide and every reason to flaunt. The world is ready for more curves in bikinis," she continued. "Swimsuitsforall helps women feel confident and sexy in swimsuits and I am so thrilled to be a part of the Curves in Bikinis campaign!"

Many have spoken out in favor of Graham and SI for embracing the plus-sized modeling industry. "Honestly, I'm thrilled to see this," said fashion expert Louise Roe. "Over the last couple of years, the fashion industry has changed so much and opened up to new ways of doing things - from transgender models on the runway to the rise of power-bloggers on the front row - it's enlightening to see old 'rules' being broken down."