“Any person with a different colour should be able to see themselves in any way,” Tim Walker says of his all black cast for next year’s Pirelli calendar. And what a cast it is! From all stars Naomi Campbell, HRH RuPaul (gurrrrrl!), Puff Daddy and Whoopi Goldberg, to fresh faces Adwoa Aboah, Slick Woods, Sasha Lane, and Lil Yachty, the 2018 Pirelli calendar is what dreams are made of. Speaking of dreams, instead of the usual one star per month, Tim Walker has teamed up with world renowned stylist, Edward Enninful, and inimitable set designer, Shona Heath, to reimagine 12 fantastical scenes from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. “Any girl, whether she is black or Chinese or Indian, should be able to have their own fairy tale,” Tim adds.
Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen an all black cast for Pirelli, but it’s been a while — thirty years ago, in 1987, Naomi Campbell posed topless in an edition that featured all black models. But in Tim’s calendar, diversity has never shone brighter. There’s men, women, models, musicians, actors, drag queens, and Thando Hopa the South African beauty and diversity activist who has grown up with albinism. “This is an important step in culture development,” says Thando, “to push images that aren’t generic, that don’t conform to stereotypes.” “It’s a historic calendar,” adds Naomi, who has already appeared in three calendars, “it’s the best one ever!”
A true reflection of our times and a breath-taking celebration of beauty in all its diverse forms, we’re gonna have to agree with Naomi on this one, it really is the best!
Credits
Text Tish Weinstock
Photography Tim Walker