Pirelli Calendar 2016 is all about strong women

For more than 50 years, Pirelli, the Italian tire manufacturer, has been known for producing a celebrated calendar featuring stylish women. But the 2016 edition might turn heads, as the approach behind the calendar is nothing short of revolutionary.

This time, the calendar carries a strong message and features strong women from all fields. The women in the 2016 Pirelli Calendar carry cultural traction. The selection of women has been done on just one criteria, and that is power. All the women are highly accomplished in their own fields and are cultural exemplars of individuality. And most importantly, they have achieved success on their own terms.

The Impactful Women That Honor the Pirelli Calendar 2016

The list includes some rich names. They are not just rich in terms of money but have strong ethics and determination that drives them. These women do not need recognition and are a phenomenon in themselves. The names include Fran Lebowitz, the famous sardonic cultural commentator and author, and Yoko Ono, the 82-year-old peace-spreading artist and widow of John Lennon.

Also joining the list is film producer Kathleen Kennedy, who produced “ET,” “Jurassic Park,” and “Lincoln,” and is second after Steven Spielberg in domestic box office receipts. Following the list is Shirin Neshat, an Iranian artist, and Tavi Gevinson, 19-year-old actress, writer, and magazine editor who rose to fame at age 12 for her blog. Then we have Patti Smith, the iconic American singer and songwriter, followed by Mellody Hobson, the businesswoman and President of Ariel Investments, a $10 billion money management firm.

Highlighting the Pirelli Calendar 2016 are two iconic ladies of their respective fields: Serena Williams and Amy Schumer. Serena is considered the world’s greatest tennis player barring gender, and Schumer is known for bringing laughter through her frank depiction of modern life as a woman.

Williams and Schumer are burning up the calendar with their semi-nude shots. They are the only two women to do so. The starker feature is that it does not just depict their figures and curves, but does it in a way that celebrates the femininity and power these women carry. Williams stands facing her back towards the camera, wearing only her underwear and displaying her well-chiseled back. Amy sits on a stool with absolute poise and panache, wearing only underwear and covering her bare breasts subtly.

Annie Leibovitz creates the magic

The photo shoot for the Pirelli Calendar 2016 was done by Annie Leibovitz, the famous photographer of the powerful and iconic. She has a simple yet impactful message for all the people, and that is: If you have to apply measurements and yardsticks to a woman’s appeal, let it be more than the three circumferences of her physical form.

The Pirelli Calendar 2016 is a major break from the regular “Pirelli girls,” where all the beautiful models wear latex, winking at all things rubbery. Leibovitz establishes that it is the photographer’s job to decide how to portray women. “I started to think about the roles that women play, women who have achieved something. I wanted to make a classic set of portraits. I thought that the women should look strong but natural,” said Leibovitz, explaining her simple studio setting and black and white pictures.