And a sneak peek of the 2018 edition featuring Lupita Nyong'o,  Naomi Campbell, and more.  

 

Shot by legendary fashion photographer Tim Walker and styled by Edward Enniful, the recently appointed editor-in-chief of British Vogue, the 2018 Pirelli calendar stars a veritable who's who of famous faces from the worlds of fashion and show business, with a sneak peek provided in a just-released video teaser.

 Dressed in fantastical costumes against a set designed by long-time Tim Walker collaborator Shona Heath, the Alice in Wonderland-themed calendar features Lupita Nyong'o as The Dormouse, Whoopi Goldberg as The Royal Duchess and British model Adwoa Aboah as Tweedledee. Men also make an appearance in this year's shoot, with Sean 'Diddy' Combs starring alongside Naomi Campbell as The Royal Beheaders, as well as TV personality and drag queen Ru Paul, and rapper Lil Yachty.

(Related: Why Loewe's Haute 2017 Calendar Is The Season's "It" Accessory)

 By featuring only black protagonists, Pirelli is entering the conversation surrounding inclusivity and diversity in fashion.  "The story of Alice has been told so many times and in so many ways, but always with a white cast," explained Tim Walker. "There has never been a black Alice, so I wanted to push how fictional fantasy figures can be represented and explore evolving ideas of beauty.”

The first Pirelli calendar was launched in 1964, and for decades it focused on scantily clad images of A-list models and actresses. In recent years, however, there has been a move towards celebrating women for their achievements rather than only their appearance.

Previous editions have been shot by famed photographers like Annie Leibovitz and Peter Lindbergh with  personalities like Serena Wiliams, Jullianne Moore and Nicole Kidman all fully clothed and wearing very little make-up. 

Here, we round up some of the most iconic images in the past years.


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Uma Thurman by Peter Lindberg (2017)


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Robin Wright by Peter Lindberg (2017)


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Serena Williams by Annie Leibovitz (2016)


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Amy Schumer by Annie Leibovitz (2016)


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Anna Ewers by Steven Meisel (2015)


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Adriana Lima by Steve McCurry (2013)


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Sonia Braga by Steve McCurry (2013)


Additional reporting: Cheryl Chan

 (Related: The Tatler Social Calendar: 13 Dates To Keep This July)