Pirelli Calendar The Cal

Pirelli Calendar

The Pirelli Calendar has become an annual publication that belies its origin in 1964 as merely a trade calendar published by the Pirelli company's UK subsidiary.

The calendar is famous for its limited availability because it is not sold and is only given as a corporate gift to a restricted number of important Pirelli customers and celebrity VIPs. The Pirelli Calendar is perhaps the world's only prestigious and exclusive "girly" calendar, featuring pictures generally considered glamour photography including artistic nudes.

Publication was discontinued after the 1974 issue as an economising cut back in response to the world recession from the oil shock. It was resurrected 10 years later and has been published regularly since then.

Appearance on the calendar has become a mark of distinction for those photographic models that are chosen, as well as for the photographers commissioned to produce the images used. Over the years the models who have appeared have included Selma Blair, Lauren Bush, Naomi Campbell, Laetitia Casta, Rachel Leigh Cook, Cindy Crawford, Milla Jovovich, Heidi Klum, Kate Moss, Sofia Loren, Penélope Cruz, Brittany Murphy, Amy Smart, Julia Stiles, Karolina Kurkova, Adriana Lima, Bridget Moynahan, Shannyn Sossamon, Mena Suvari, Monet Mazur, Aurelie Claudel, Fernanda Tavares, Gisele Bundchen, Frankie Rayder, Angela Lindvall, Hilary Swank and Yamila Díaz.

The Photographers and locations

* 1964 Robert Freeman – Majorca
* 1965 Brian Duffy – South of France
* 1966 Peter Knapp – Al Hoceima, Morocco
* 1967 no calendar
* 1968 Harry Peccinotti – Tunisia
* 1969 Harry Peccinotti – Big Sur, California
* 1970 Francis Giacobetti – Paradise Island, The Bahamas
* 1971 Francis Giacobetti – Jamaica
* 1972 Sarah Moon – Villa Les Tilleuls, Paris
* 1973 Brian Duffy – London
* 1974 Hans Feurer – The Seychelles
* 1975-1983 no calendars
* 1984 Uwe Ommer – The Bahamas
* 1985 Norman Parkinson – Edinburgh, Scotland
* 1986 Bert Stern – the Cotswolds, England
* 1987 Terence Donovan – Bath, England
* 1988 Barry Lategan – London
* 1989 Joyce Tennyson – the Polaroid Studios, New York
* 1990 Arthur Elgort – Seville, Spain
* 1991 Clive Arrowsmith – France
* 1992 Clive Arrowsmith – Almería, Spain
* 1993 John Claridge – the Seychelles
* 1994 Herb Ritts – Paradise Island, the Bahamas
* 1995 Richard Avedon – New York
* 1996 Peter Lindbergh – El Mirage, California
* 1997 Richard Avedon – New York
* 1998 Bruce Weber – Miami
* 1999 Herb Ritts – Los Angeles
* 2000 Annie Leibovitz – Rhinebeck, N. New York City
* 2001 Mario Testino – Naples, Italy
* 2002 Peter Lindbergh – Hollywood, Los Angeles
* 2003 Bruce Weber – Campania, Italy (Models: Alessandra Ambrosio & Marcelo Boldrini)
* 2004 Nick Knight – London
* 2005 Patrick Demarchelier – Rio de Janeiro
* 2006 Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot – Côte d'Azur (Models: Jennifer Lopez, Kate Moss, Gisele Bündchen, Natalia Vodianova, Karen Elson and Guinevere van Seenius)
* 2007 Inez van Lamsweerde and Vindooh Matadin – studio set (Models: Penélope Cruz, Sophia Loren, Lou Doillon, Hilary Swank, Naomi Watts) - (Credit: Wikipedia).

Profiles

Websites

Friend, Greg Tingle and Arina Manta

Photography by Bill Ranken

Photo from Pirelli Calendar Launch in Sydney, Australia. Special thank you to Grant Dwyer