The 2016 Pirelli Calendar Features Most Influential Women

The ever so famous annual Pirelli calendar has decided to go in a different direction this year.

For the first time in 50 years, the calendar will not include its iconic theme of skinny and “perfect” supermodels.

This year, for the 51^st edition, the calendar will replace models like Gisele Bundchen and Gigi Hadid, who are famous for their bodies, with women famous for their achievements.

World-famous photographer Annie Leibovitz is the person behind the lens that created this beautiful masterpiece.

No photos were retouched or edited at all, which is a first for the calendar. Leibovitz said the idea was to capture these women exactly the way they are. The flaws in each woman are what makes them individual and individually beautiful.

This year, the legendary calendar included Yoko Ono, Kathleen Kennedy, Mellody Hobson, Patti Smith, Shirin Neshat, Sadie Rain Hope-Gund and Agnes Gund, Fran Lebowitz, Ava DuVernay, Serena Williams, Yao Chen, Natalia Vodianova, and Amy Schumer.

With the anticipation of the release, Harper’s Bazaar released a behind-the-scenes video of the calendar photo-shoot.

Here are the top six quotes from the photographer and models about what makes this year’s calendar so influential.

1. “Believe me, I do not think naked girls are going out of fashion. But it’s interesting that people are interested at different ways of looking at women.” -- Fran Leibowitz

2. “I love that we’re embracing the moment that we’re in. It’s a very powerful moment for women around the world in all categories.” -- Ava DuVerna

3. “This is what women like me have been dreaming of. Annie’s shooting this calendar and she’s doing something different.” -- Mellody Hobson

4. “I felt I looked more beautiful than I’ve ever felt in my life, and I felt like it looked like me.” -- Amy Schumer

5. "To pay tribute to women at all ages who have accomplished something is quite a statement." -- Shirin Neshat

6. "The whole idea was to not have any pretense in these pictures and be very straight forward, and show these women exactly like who they are." -- Annie Leibovitz

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