The Pirelli calendar has become an icon in its own right. The annual event is now a staple in mainstream culture and by no means limited to fans of the motorsport and fashion worlds. Last year, the Italian company chose to forgo the typical scantily clad models and opted instead to include 13 influential women within the calendar. Beloved photographer Annie Leibovitz was commissioned to shoot portraits of women ranging from Amy Schumer to Serena Williams to Patti Smith. It seems Pirelli could be continuing their shift to focus on substance, as it was just announced that revered photographer Peter Lindbergh will shoot the upcoming 2017 calendar.
Known for his stark black-and-white aesthetic, Lingbergh started working for Vogue back in 1978. His natural ability and talent led him to work with a number of other major publications, including The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone. When Anna Wintor came on board as Vogue editor-in-chief in 1988, she immediately signed the German photographer to the magazine.
"I want use this opportunity to show the sensibility and raw emotions of a group of women I know, love and deeply admire for many years," the photographer announced on his Instagram. "To realize this challenging project, we are traveling to Berlin, Los Angeles, London and New York."
Lindbergh was one of the first photographers to weave narratives and storylines into the fashion editorials he was shooting. In 1990, he shot Danish model Helena Christensen playing alongside a Martian for Italian Vogue. This was widely considered a starting point in fashion editorials becoming stories.
This will be the third time that Lindbergh has shot the Pirelli calendar. He has previously shot the 1996 and 2002 editions, with the 2002 calendar featuring actresses instead of models for the first time in the calendar's history. Given Lindbergh's track record for breaking new ground, we're excited to see what he comes up with.
