The much anticipated 2016 Pirelli calendar made its debut Monday — this year, the project took a different angle and focused on celebrating iconic women.
Featuring the likes of Serena Williams, Yoko Ono and Amy Schumer, artists, athletes, and bloggers were amongst the figures the calendar spotlighted. The 43rd edition of the calendar features “13 women of outstanding professional, social, cultural, sporting and artistic accomplishment,” according to the company’s press release.
“The women are of different ages and backgrounds and have different kinds of careers,” the release continued.
Based in Milan, Italy, auto part manufacturer Pirelli releases a calendar every year, which was presented to media outlets, guests, and collectors from the world on November 30.
The 2016 installment was under the creative direction of iconic American photographer Annie Leibovitz, who was behind the much-hyped 2000 installment that focused on nude photography.
“For 2016, we did something completely different, but it is still simple. It is a classic set of black-and-white portraits made in the studio,” Leibovitz said. “When Pirelli approached me, they suggested the idea of photographing distinguished women. After we agreed on that, the goal was to be very straightforward.”
Mellody Hobson
This year’s calendar steers clear of nude shots, and the more revealing photos of Williams and Schumer had intention behind them, according to Leibovitz.
Patti Smith
“I wanted the pictures to show the women exactly as they are, with no pretense,” she added.
Yoko Ono
The Guardian reported that Pirelli’s chief executive Marco Tronchetti Provera said the company had been looking to shift the calendar’s focus this year, making Leibovitz’s latest project “very timely.” Shot in black and white, the simplistic images don’t employ a lot of the typical post-production editing, Leibovitz says.
Shirin Neshat
SHARE this captivating celebration of women's beauty with your friends and family!
