Italy-based Pirelli, a maker of tires, has previewed images from its 2018 calendar, which will feature an all-black cast shot as part of an “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” theme.
The shoot was creatively directed by newly-installed British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful and stars a mega-watt cast all of whom play roles in the popular fairy tale. The cast includes Lupita Nyong’o (Dormouse), Ru Paul (Queen of Hearts), Naomi Campbell (Royal Beheader), Whoopi Goldberg (Royal Duchess), Sean Combs (Royal Beheader), Sasha Lane (Mad March Hare), Thando Hopa (Princess of Hearts), Alpha Dia (Five of Hearts), King Owusumodels (Two of Hearts), Adwoa Aboah (Tweedledee), Duckie Thot (Alice) and Slick Woods (Madhatter).
Side note: There’s a bit of added intrigue that Campbell and Woods are on the same set because of a theory that a rift involving Woods caused Campbell and Rihanna’s friendship to fall apart.
The 2018 calendar was shot by Tim Walker, who was tapped for his talent for storytelling. “With his unique photographic style, Walker is capable of using his camera to do something which very few others can achieve: placing movement and words into a single shot, and creating a story,” reads press.
While the calendar is know for images featuring mostly thin white women in various states of undress, it featured an all-black cast in 1987 that featured a topless Campbell.
Commenting on the cast, Walker told the NY Times, “As a photographer, you don’t ever want to do what has been done before, so it was important for me to feel I was doing something completely different here.”
Walked noted it was his decision to shoot an all black cast. “There were zero creative or commercial demands from Pirelli for this project. That is pretty rare in this business,” he observed.
The calendar will publish in November 2017, but as always won’t be available to purchase and will be sent to a select list of individuals associated with Pirelli Tire.
