The Italian tyre company Pirelli is renowned for its annual calendar, which traditionally features scantily-clad models in poses that are… well, suggestive to say the least. However, 2016 marked a drastic change for the famed calendar – where conventionally beautiful models where abandoned in favour of female artists, musicians, olympiads and comedians. Looks like Pirelli’s new message is that: beauty lies in talent, not only a desirable body. The 2017 calendar will continue with this direction, mainly featuring women that have made a name for themselves in film.

The 2017 calendar’s roll call of high-calibre women are: Nicole Kidman, Charlotte Rampling, Uma Thurman, Lupita Nyong’o, Alicia Vikander, Lea Seydoux, Kate Winslet, Juliana Moore, Robin Wright, Rooney Mara, Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Helen Mirren, Zhang Ziyi and Anastasia Ignatova. The focus on successful, mature women suggests that beauty can be found everywhere – not only in youth and gym-toned bodies.

Photographer Peter Lindbergh’s intention is to capture these talented women in their natural state:

“You take everything away, you take the perfection away, you take great hairdos and wonderful makeup away – you take everything away and you say, “These are the twelve of the most sensible, emotional, [actresses].”

In doing so, Lindbergh hopes to challenge narrow views of feminine beauty and create “a counter message to [the film industry’s] fake beauty ideal.”

Real talent and real women are sexy, and the Pirelli 2017 calendar will be embracing that fact.

• Words: Maki Morita