Gigi Hadid, Laetitia Casta, Misty Copeland e Julia Garner are the protagonist of the new calendar Pirelli for the 2019. The title of the work entrusted to the Scottish photographer Albert Watson, the father of over 100 Vogue covers, over 40 Rolling Stone covers and some iconic shots such as the 2006 photo of Steve Jobs, is Dreaming.
The Callus 2019 is now in its 46th edition and was presented at the headquarters of Pirelli a Milano. Watson's forty black and white shots photographed between New York and Miami immortalized the French actress and model Laetitia Casta in the role of "the painter" together with the Ukrainian dancer Sergei Polunin, the ballet star Misty Copeland in the role of the with fellow Calvin Royal III, supermodel Gigi Hadid as the “wealthy heiress” alongside stylist Alexander Wang, and Hollywood actress Julia Garner as “the photographer” alongside Astrid Eika.
Four of some of the best-known women in the world to tell four mini-films: “The initial idea was to build a film story and for this I built the story through a series of cinematic sequences. The format chosen is new for fashion, but well known in the world of cinema and is that of 16:9”, said Watson. “When I approached this project – explains Watson – I wanted to do it differently from other photographers and I asked myself what was the best way. In the end I looked for images that were of high quality, had depth and told stories. I wanted to do more than just portray people. The idea of dream and ambition came later, as a natural consequence of my reflection. They are all focused on their future, so the underlying theme is that of dreams, but the idea behind the project is the story through four small films”, continued the photographer.
Four women tell their story: the heiress played by Gigi Hadid has recently separated from her partner, lives alone in a glass tower and has Alexander Wang as her only friend and confidant. “I think there is a bit of melancholy in these images. With the character of Gigi Hadid, I wanted to convey the perception of a woman who thinks about the future, but also a sense of loneliness. We see her thinking about where she will go in life, what she will do tomorrow. I wanted her to be much more 'minimalist' than the other women I've photographed and their environments,” commented Watson.
Julia Garner, on the other hand, plays the role of a young photographer, a lover of nature and solitude. She “she She played a botanical photographer, who dreams of making successful exhibitions. We shot in a beautiful tropical garden in Miami, which turned out to be a perfect place to work.”
Misty Copeland also looks to the future dreaming of establishing herself in the world of dance: “The pursuit of success is her driving force. Misty Copeland's character supports herself by dancing in a club, but at the same time she has set up a small stage in her garden where she practices dancing to become an étoile, sometimes with her boyfriend, played , by Calvin Royal III.”
Laetitia Casta, the painter, lives a bohemian life together with her partner, played by Sergei Polunin. Both dream of success: she as an artist, he as a dancer. “The interesting thing – says Watson – is that Laetitia, in her spare time in her real life, dedicates herself to sculpture and creates art objects. A favorable coincidence that helped her get into character”.
“I would like people looking at the Calendar to understand that my goal was to do pure photography, to explore the women I was photographing and to create a situation that proposed a positive vision of today's women. Each of the four women has an individuality of their own, their own specific purpose in life and their own way of doing things,” concluded Watson.
The Pirelli calendar, one of the most famous and exclusive in the world, is printed in limited copies and distributed to the company's most important customers and some VIPs.
Its first publication dates back to 1963, while between 1975 and 1983 its diffusion was interrupted, resuming regularly from 1984 to today: among the 35 photographers who have come and gone in over 50 years of history of the calendar, Robert Freeman ( the first ever), Annie Leibovitz, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier, Karl Lagerfeld and Steve McCurry, while among the immortalized icons there are Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Penelope Cruz, Julianne Moore, Sophia Loren.
The Cal did not leave the men's icons on the bench, Alessandro Gassmann, Bono, John Malkovich, Baptiste Giabiconi, Ewan McGregor also appeared on the calendar.
