The Pirelli calendar, also affectionately known as “The Cal,” has long reigned as a cultural force – a format where beauty, desire and creativity form an alluring union. First introduced in 1964 as an exclusive marketing project by the Italian tyre company, Pirelli, the calendar quickly blended the worlds of fashion and glamour, inviting renowned artists to capture contemporary culture. Over the decades, it has featured the work of 40 photographers who have produced 51 editions, each reflecting evolving cultural and aesthetic sensibilities. Previous photographers include Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts, and Mario Sorrenti. For the 2025 calendar, photographer Ethan James Green imprints his own voice through the theme of Refresh and Reveal, a concept that reconsiders beauty – not as something to be moulded or idealised, but as something raw, naturally provocative, and deeply human.

Green, who saw this as a “dream opportunity,” describes it as a chance to join a rare roster of photographers. “You join a club of photographers, it’s a big honour and a career-changing opportunity,” he tells us. The challenge, however, was not merely to recapture the calendar’s heritage, but to reframe it. “We wanted to go back to the sexy approach that the calendar was originally known for,” Green says. “That was our refresh and reveal idea.” But this approach wasn’t about nostalgia, it was about revealing deeper connections between the subject, photographer, and team.

Shot across the sun-drenched landscapes of the Miami Keys on both land and sea in the spring of 2024, it is a powerful meditation on the personal, intimate, and sensual aspects of the human form. Across twelve subjects and 24 images – one in colour, one in black-and-white – Green’s work unveils a duality that speaks to the complex and ever-evolving relationship we have with our bodies, identities, and self. This year, the cast of global talent includes Hunter Schafer, Vincent Cassel, Padma Lakshmi, Simone Ashley, John Boyega, Jodie Turner-Smith, and the legendary American model Jenny Shimizu, who was featured in the iconic 1997 Michael Avedon Pirelli Calendar.

“I thought I was going to get free tyres,” actor John Boyega laughs when describing his initial reaction to Pirelli’s invitation to join the project. “I went to my sister and said “What’s this Pirelli calendar?” It was intriguing and interesting.” Boyega’s participation adds another layer to the narrative of beauty, drawn to the project by its inclusivity: “The message of beauty was part of the offer, and that’s the only thing that really stood out to me,” he said. “It’s about defining beauty in ways that are not about boxing people into a single standard… There’s a whole spectrum of beauty out there, and it’s not gonna stop.”

For Boyega, his shoot was an opportunity to express both his vulnerability and strength. “I wanted to express the confidence that I have,” he explained. The shoot was a chance to present beauty not as a narrow ideal but as something expansive and inclusive. “Beauty has so many facets,” he continued. “It’s not about fitting into the box, it’s about stepping out of it.”

Indian-American author and model, Padma Lakshmi, an icon in her own right, echoes Boyega’s sentiments, praising Refresh and Reveal as an opportunity to redefine beauty on her terms. “I’ve always wanted to do it,” she tells us. “It was a no-brainer. They didn’t even get the whole sentence out, and I was like – yes!” On set, Lakshmi worked with stylist Tonne Goodman to select pieces that felt timeless and empowering. “I had a very lovely black chiffon nightgown, and then I had a white shirt – very classic, something so easy, timeless.

I feel blessed. I feel glad that I’m in there, also because I’m 54 and the oldest woman in this calendar. I don’t feel like my pictures are any less than anybody else’s pictures. It’s wonderful celebrating different kinds of beauty. I’m a very sensual woman, I’m very at home in my skin and I feel at my peak right now. I think this is the perfect time to do this.”