Pirelli Takes New Step With Bold 2016 Calendar

Pirelli released its 2016 calendar on Monday, giving a remake to the classic brand.

Pirelli, know for its beautiful nude portraits, took a different route this year by highlighting 13 influential women from different backgrounds and accomplishments. Photographer Annie Leibovitz released the photos in London today.

This year’s calendar features the women all wearing clothes. Rather than just including models, Pirelli chose to include women of great influence. Highlights include iconic singer Patti Smith, Yoa Chen, a social media maven who started the Chinese micro blogging site Wiebow, director Ava Duvernay, 21-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams, and comedy queen Amy Schumer.

“We needed more than 12 months,” said Leibovitz. “There’s no beginning or end, we could’ve gone on and on.”

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Pirelli, who is normally associated with creating a super sexy brand, was the driving force behind the departure.

Leibovitz explained to Harpers Bazaar, “They came to me with the mandate that they would like to do something different but I didn’t let them in the door once I started shooting.”

Other accomplished women Leibovitz included in the shoot are Fran Lebowitz, Yoko Ono, Natalia Vodianova, Kathleen Kennedy, Agnes Gund with her granddaughter Sadie Rain Hope-Gund, Mellody Hobson, Tavi Gevinson, and Shirin Neshat.

The new direction for Pirelli seems like a bold, but welcome choice.