Amy Schumer, Serena Williams, and More Cover Pirelli’s 2016 Strong Women Calendar
Amy Schumer (Photo: Pirelli)
The Pirelli Calendar is an annual tradition in the fashion world. Each year the Italian tire company’s calendar features many of the world’s top models in various states of undress. However, this year, something is different.
No one is fully nude and the “models” featured are impressive women from various walks of life. They include Amy Schumer, Serena Williams, Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Yao Chen (the first Chinese UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador), Ava DuVernay, blogger Tavi Gevinson, and Lucasfilm chairperson Kathleen Kennedy. The images were all shot by Annie Leibovitz.
Amy Schumer (Photo: Annie Leibovitz for Pirelli)
“I felt I looked more beautiful than I’ve felt in my life,” Schumer says in a video featurette Pirelli released to celebrate the calendar. “And I felt like it looked like me.”
Both Schumer and Williams are topless but covered in the calendar.
“When Pirelli approached me, they said they wanted to make a departure from the past. They suggested the idea of photographing distinguished women. After we agreed on that, the goal was to be very straightforward. I wanted the pictures to show the women exactly as they are, with no pretense,” Liebovitz said in a release about the calendar. “The Amy Schumer portrait added some fun. It’s as if she didn’t get the memo saying that she could keep her clothes on.”
Serena Williams (Photo: Annie Leibovitz for Pirelli)
The message is a direct departure from the stereotypical calendar full of female figures, geared toward a heterosexual male gaze.
It is, however, not the first Pirelli Calendar to feature no nudity. Their first calendars in the 1960s had no nudes, as well as 2002’s calendar shot by Peter Lindbergh, 2008’s calendar shot by Patrick Demarchelier, and 2013’s by Steve McCurry.
Patti Smith (Photo: Annie Leibovitz for Pirelli)
All of the portraits were shot in July 2015. Serena Williams was the first of the women involved to speak about it publicly, tweeting about her inclusion in “The Cal” in September.
Guess what?? I am so happy to be part of the next #PirelliCalendar shot by @AnnieLeibovitz !! #thecal
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)
Want a copy? Well, that’s too bad. The Pirelli Calendar is not sold publicly, and is only sent to a select group of A-listers.