The Italian tire company and iconic image-maker Pirelli has launched a new website dedicated to the history of its beloved Pirelli Calendar, or “The Cal.” From its birth in 1964 through to the development of Peter Lindbergh’s 2017 edition, the site chronicles the calendar’s lifespan with a behind-the-scenes take and a visually stunning layout. More of an art book and an homage to fashion than just a calendar, it has been shot by Mario Testino, Inez and Vinoodh, Bruce Weber, and Steve McCurry, and featured models like Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Iman, a 71 year-old Sophia Loren, and a 16 year-old Naomi Campbell.
The site is divided into multiple parts: “Stories,” which includes articles about special editions of the calendar and its star photographers; “Icons,” featuring interviews with Andrea Bocelli, Roberto Bolle, Tommy Hilfiger, Candice Huffine, Marc Newson, and Serena Williams; “Time Machine,” with videos of the calendar at each decade. A few select images from each year’s calendar starting in 1964 are also available to click through.
Most exciting, though, is the feature that delves into the making of next year’s calendar. It reveals that this year’s photographer, Peter Lindbergh (who has already shot for the calendar three times) has chosen New York as one of the locations.
After Annie Leibovitz’s 2016 Pirelli Calendar, featuring Tavi Gevinson, Amy Schumer, and Serena Williams in contrast to the typical flock of supermodels, it looks as though Pirelli is starting to push its own boundaries and transcend The Cal’s sense of tradition. The website will continue to post content following Lindbergh’s and Pirelli’s journey in creating the next calendar, with updates on some of 2017’s faces set to come next week. The Pirelli Calendar will be released in November 2016.
Credits
Text Blair Cannon
Photo Steven Meisel for Pirelli Calendar 2015