Pirelli Calendar 2013… and More Nude Models

The Pirelli Calendar 2013 is getting deep, guys: They hired Steve McCurry–known for his award-winning photojournalism (he shot the famous “Afghan Girl” photo in 1985); not nude calendar work–to shoot next year’s issue, featuring women who are committed to activism and charity. AND it will feature a very-pregnantAdriana Lima, belly and all! They’re calling it a  “Calendar of the Soul” and it’s already making headlines for its heartwarming theme.

“I want to portray women who are sexy without being naked,” said McCurry, who joins the long list of masters of the clicks that have helped make the “Cal” was born in 1964, an object of worship: Richard Avedon, Peter Lindbergh, by Herb Ritts, Peter Beard. An object that tells women through beauty its time.

Italian Vogue has come out with behind –the-scenes photos of Lima, along with models Elisa Sednaoui, Petra Nemcova, Isabeli Fontana, Liya Kebede and Kyleigh Kuhn, described as “women protagonists involved in the support of foundations, NGOs and humanitarian projects,” shot against the grave backdrop of troubled Rio de Janeiro. I can appreciate the sentiment, but if they really wanted to send the message that inner beauty–in the form of altruistic, humanitarian work–is more important than outer beauty, they might consider look beyond supermodels for inspiration.

I’m not out to belittle anything the women featured in the calendar do; not every model chooses to funnel their money and fame into charity work, and without socially-conscious celebs like them, there’s no doubt that NGO’s would have much smaller budgets to fund their good work.

But does it mean that the folks at Pirelli are turning a new leaf? Not really.

Including an extremely pregnant Adriana Lima, boasting of the models’ off-camera accomplishments, choosing a gritty background,  and snagging the guy who shot one of the most-recognized war photos of all time to do the calendar aren’t altruistic actions on anyone’s part; they’re just a really, really good way to get attention and boost sales (and one the calendar hasn’t tried before). This isn’t a well-rounded group of “real women” stripping down for the Pirelli calendar, and as far as we’ve heard, proceeds from the calendar aren’t going to help build schools for young girls. Until that changes, we’re still just talking about a nude calendar…and I’m not quite ready to applaud Pirelli for anything but innovating marketing.

Source: http://blisstree.com/look/pirelli-calendar-2013-charity-pregnant-adriana-lima-nude-models-446/