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Pirelli in India: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Pirelli’s 2027 Calendar, known as ‘The Cal’, was photographed largely in India and centres Indian women from music, fashion and culture. The project matters because it marks a significant expansion of the calendar’s cultural focus, pairing its established high-fashion status with Indian locations and a prominently Indian cast.
The edition features two photographers for the first time, Sølve Sundsbø and Avani Rai, following the death of Rai’s father, renowned photographer Raghu Rai. Participants include sitar player Anoushka Shankar, Bhavita Mandava and poet Rupi Kaur; Shankar described the selection as thoughtful and nuanced, and said the shoot felt unexpectedly relaxed despite its scale. The calendar is due for formal release in October.
In short
- Pirelli’s 2027 Calendar was largely shot in India.
- It foregrounds Indian women across culture and the arts.
- Two photographers lead the edition for the first time.
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The case for
This represents meaningful progress in representation, moving beyond Western-centric narratives to centre Indian talent and locations. By collaborating with Indian photographers and thoughtfully casting participants from Indian culture, Pirelli creates visibility and opportunity for underrepresented voices. The participants' enthusiastic responses—particularly Anoushka Shankar's description of the work as 'thoughtful and nuanced'—suggest this was approached with genuine respect and cultural sensitivity rather than tokenism.
The case against
This risks embodying a familiar pattern wherein Western luxury brands extract cultural prestige and exoticism from non-Western contexts for commercial gain. The calendar's historical association with female objectification raises questions about whether expanding to Indian women simply extends that dynamic to new markets, subordinating authentic cultural agency to Western aesthetic and marketing interests, regardless of participants' satisfaction in the moment.
Explained simply
Pirelli's annual calendar is one of the fashion industry's most prestigious publications, combining high-end artistic photography with cultural commentary. The calendar is widely watched for its influence on aesthetics and representation within luxury fashion.
The 2027 edition marks a notable shift in approach, having been photographed primarily in India and centring Indian women from music, fashion and culture. This expansion represents a significant change in the calendar's cultural focus, pairing its established luxury standing with Indian locations and talent.
The edition features two photographers for the first time—Sølve Sundsbø and Avani Rai—with Rai taking on the role following the death of her father, the acclaimed photographer Raghu Rai. Participants include sitar player Anoushka Shankar, poet Rupi Kaur and Bhavita Mandava.
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