As we reach the turn of the year, Pirelli has unveiled yet another edition of its calendar, setting out to make one statement: ‘Refresh and Reveal’. For 2025, The Cal passes its torch down to fashion photographer Ethan James Green, a visionary force who understands the intricacies of his lens, both as a subject and a composer of image. Across twelve, distinct voices that stretch across film, art, television and beyond, Green evokes the history of the calendar with a contemporary twist, exploring the beauty of the body in numerous different forms. Joined by friend and sustainability editor at Vogue, Tonne Goodman, the pair deliver stripped-back glamour and elegance.
Shot between the studio and Miami Keys, a near-apocalyptic beach setting that captures nature’s raw, rustic elements, The Cal’s 51st issue thrives in contrast. Both controlled yet unruly, each photograph presents candour and confidence, exposed to the core essence of each talent. Amongst his cast, Green features Bridgerton royalty Simone Ashley, South Korean model and actress Hoyeon Jung, Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi and close collaborator Hunter Schafer. Elsewhere, The Cal welcomes South London’s John Boyega; Jodie Turner-Smith, Vincent Cassel, Elodie Di Patrizi, Connie Fleming, Martine Gutierrez, Jenny Shimizu and a portrait of Ethan James Green himself.
Speaking on the construction of the project, Pirelli executive Vice Chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera shares: “[Green] was very good at selecting the instant, and the art of a photographer is to be able to catch this fraction of a second, where everything is in harmony.”
CLASH made its way down to the launch of the 2025 Pirelli Calendar, sharing interviews with a selection of its defining individuals.
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Tonne Goodman & Ethan James Green
How would you describe the journey of The Cal and what does it stand for today?
Tonne: That’s a real history lesson. For me, what the calendar has done so beautifully is really highlight the work of remarkable photographers in a way that is so important because it deals with sensitive subjects.
How does this year’s theme celebrate the body?
Ethan: I mean, by showing it I guess.
(Showing the calendar)
Hunter opens it up, it was really exciting to work with her on the project. I’ve worked with her many times editorially for magazines, we’ve also done commercial work together, so this was the first opportunity that we had to go into it with no rules. It was exciting because she also is at an age where she wanted to explore a creative image that is a bit more sensual. It was an honour to be her photographer.
How did you ease her into the shoot?
Ethan: She’s just game.
Tonne: Part of my challenge was that in order to reveal, we had to put something on first. So I did very extensive fittings with all of the talent; Hunter came in and she was so happy to look at this rack of clothes that weren’t fashion. I had the most beautiful fitting pictures, she just put them on and started to feel her body in something. She was probably the one that really embodied the whole process of putting on and taking off, more than anybody else. She was really into it.
Do you think you’ll get the seal of approval from Anna Wintour?
Tonne: I do, I absolutely do.
Ethan: I went through the history of the Pirelli calendars with the team when we were talking, because it was between me and another photographer. We went through all of it and I told them that I was really into the idea of doing studio and beach. Beach felt very Pirelli, but then studio draws such a timeless element to it, but also has existed throughout the calendar. Miami, we ended up mainly because it’s the most central place we could go; we had to do a place where production was possible because in some places it’s really difficult. This beach that we shot at felt a bit ambiguous, it wasn’t too tropical, it wasn’t too anything. There were a lot of natural elements that we were able to play with.
Tonne: The beach was amazing because it was a big stretch when the tide went out, it was like you were on the moon or something.
Looking at the history of the calendar, which editions particularly inspired you, which photographers did you look to try and get the sub-connection with?
Ethan: I would say Avedon’s two calendars and then Herb Ritts’ first calendar. Those were the ones that got me the most excited.
Tonne: It’s interesting because they do reflect time, and those two really could be any time.
You feature a portrait of yourself in The Cal – how did you use this opportunity to express yourself? Which version of yourself is captured through this image?
We did two trips to Miami. The first, it was an all female cast, and we still hadn’t figured out who the next 6 were going to be. So over lunch one day we were all talking and someone brought up the idea of having male cast members and right away that made a lot of sense, it felt a lot more contemporary. The way we operated the project, we didn’t tell anybody ‘oh we’re thinking of doing a full nude picture of you’, we allowed each subject to guide us through the styling process. Because we had multiple women being nude, we needed at least one guy to do it so the only person I could tell to do that was myself, and I guess that’s how we landed it.
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How does this project differ from your other projects, for example when using tall voluminous looks? What is it like to style something so stripped back?
Tonne: To say it was a challenge is the wrong word because a challenge means that you’re fighting against something, and it really wasn’t for me. Ethan and I spoke earlier on, and I asked him – is it about fashion? There was a lot of fashion that displayed transparency and I thought – should I use that? And Ethan said, no, I don’t want to do any fashion. I don’t want fashion to be a part of it at all. Then I thought, I have to have something, there has to be something that they can relate to, that they feel sensuous in, that they can let slip off their shoulder, or let it blow away, or let it get wet but it doesn’t smack as fashion at all.
How has the calendar evolved since it was first created in the 60s and how does this one stay true to the essence of what it was created to be?
Ethan: I think it’s always exciting to bring it back to that original concept, just because the world has changed so much since then. To be able to be the first photographer to step into that new idea of what beauty is and who can be sexy, was really exciting.
What does sexy mean to you?
Ethan: Confidence, maybe? I think confidence is a huge part of it but there’s many rules around what it could be because it comes down to everybody having a different preference.
Tonne: It’s sort of an antiquated word now don’t you think?
You’ve been in the fashion industry for a long time and there was a time where fashion would dictate beauty standards, do you feel this has shifted?
Tonne: I think it has. A lot of that happened with society, social changes and people that really considered what they are putting out there when they use a catchphrase like ‘sexy’. You really had to stop and start to think about what you meant. I’m happy that we can now come to a full-circle moment and it’s no longer a word you need to use, at all. You can just express this confidence and a willingness to be who you are, have sex with whoever you want. It’s happening.
What drew you towards that contrast between a studio and beach setting?
Ethan: They both can be seamless. The beach is always going to be there, the studio is a place that we always return to.
Tonne: The contrast between organic colours of the ocean and the sky versus the very austere and elegant black and white finish of the studio.
Ethan: In one you have a lot of control, in the other you have to really go with the flow. When you’re just trying to capture the essence of someone, there’s two different pathways. To be able to do that back to back with one person, doing both with one person, is a real exercise
Tonne: What was really interesting was that, it’s true, in the studio you had control, on the beach you had no control, the tide’s going to come in, the tide’s going to go out, the sand is going to get messy. You have to really embrace whatever comes your way and that made it a very organic experience which is perfect when you haven’t got any clothes on.
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How did you feel when you were asked to shoot the calendar?
Ethan: I was super excited, I found out on my 34th birthday. I was not expecting it. It’s a huge thing to be asked because as a photographer, becoming a Pirelli photographer, you’re included in a club. The last time that I felt this way was probably my first Vogue cover that I did with Tonne
Are you going back to your work as a model?
Ethan: This project has made me think about it and I am actually. I am signed with IMG Models, I’ll see what happens
What about acting?
Ethan: I’ve thought about that too. I’ve never done something so frontal-facing since I was very young, because I was a model when I was younger, so I don’t know I’m just in this moment where I’m just trying to embrace and go with the flow and see what happens…
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John Boyega
What did it mean for you to be featured in the latest edition of the Pirelli Calendar?
John: A blessing. I’ve always wanted to see people of difference, I think it makes stories more interesting, I don’t want beauty to be defined in one way, so I aligned with it. Ethan was also at the forefront, knowing that he had the experience in front of the camera and behind, this felt like a sure thing. Plus it was a free trip to Miami! Would you say no?
How did it feel to pose for Ethan’s lens?
John: This is the most air I’ve felt in between my legs on a set. I’ve taken clothes off on screen before, but that feels more controlled and is more about embodying someone else. Doing this as me, especially at the time where I was halfway through a workout regime, so I was still quite weighty. To experience something that embodies where you’re at and shows you in the process, that’s really important to me.
How do you interpret ‘Refresh and Reveal’ – how does the imagery resonate with that mantra?
John: I feel like the ‘Refresh and Reveal’ element for me has always been the mentality, the state of acceptance. Refreshing your mind, the way in which you see yourself, and a reveal is stunning. You work in a dark room, in your mind, and then you reveal it to the world, I always thought there was something about that.
Which of your previous roles has prepared you for this project?
John: I think all of them in different ways. Acting is quite a naked process, you do have to have a certain element of confidence to do it, you’re in front of a crew who don’t act so it can be a bit cringey and you can cave into yourself. Acting is a confidence thing and I think each role, as I got more confident in front of the screen, has led me to be able to take part in diverse things and different types of projects.
When you saw what you were going to be wearing, what did you think about it?
John: I was like wait, where’s the rest of it! I’d never actually done anything like this, so for me this was a time to have a new experience and to step into a new space. I think with the fashion world, I’ve always been on the outside in. I tap in when I do the magazine shoots but you’re clothed in something snazzy, you rely on the clothes to be the carcass but with this, it felt like a new thing.
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Have your family and friends seen the calendar? What do you think their reaction will be when they see it?
John: I was showing them, I was taking selfies when we were shooting it! They couldn’t come out for the actual shoot but they’re usually involved in everything so they see the process from start to finish.
Most of the time it’s ‘why’s John standing naked in the water’ and I’ll tell them ‘oh, it’s for work…’
Is this what everyone’s getting for Christmas this year?
John: You know what, I was going to do the cash in the envelope, as is tradition for a Yoruba man. Now, I’m going to put the envelope full of cash with the calendar, right on this page!
Did you have calendars growing up?
John: My dad had calendars growing up of preachers, Nigerian preachers. Nigerian megachurches used to print these calendars and go ‘January – the month of success! February – the month where you will defeat your enemies!’ and it’ll just be the preacher in different suits. So it was that, it was never this!
My sister has purchased a few because she used to be very much into the fashion world, especially as a teenager going into her early twenties. I used to see magazine cutouts and moodboards that she used to have around.
You said you were training for a role while you were doing this, what was that?
John: I was training for a number of roles actually. You’re never training for one. Each script is: he takes his top off, he’s chiselled and muscular. Damn it! Where are the fat guys?!
So I was training for a number of roles, Otis Redding included, we’ve got a sequel happening next year, a whole bunch of stuff, training with Corey Caillet twice a day, every day.
As we think about time and the turn of the year, what have been some of your proudest moments of 2024? In which mindset are you entering 2025?
John: The proudest moment I think was going back to Nigeria and connecting with the people there, especially the young creatives that are out there. When I was younger, I always used to dream of a world in which the diaspora connected with their African side, Caribbean side, where it felt like we were doing something different to what our parents were doing. Our parents definitely came here for better opportunities and to give us a hope and a chance that they didn’t receive at that stage, but now as the world changes, as afrobeats gets more global, everybody wants to do an ancestry DNA test. This is my generation that’s making this cool, because we’ve been at the forefront of it, whereas before everyone wanted to learn how to speak the best English, now everyone wants to know their mother tongue and everyone wants to know how to dance to the native song. That to me, has been my proudest moment this year, being one of the many people at the forefront of that, planning events, planning this cross-over in which the diaspora is connecting. It’s a big deal, what a way to use your influences.
You mention being in the midst of training for a number of roles, was there any beauty, skincare or wellness that you did to prep for the shoot?
John: Drink water and mind your business. It’s the hydration and the peace of mind. DNA has something to do with it, my mum was quite meticulous with skincare, make sure you get your scrub in, make sure you get rid of them blackheads, make sure the trapped oils don’t mess you up either. I’ve always been a part of that because face has always been a part of our industry. Sometimes you’re gonna get spotty, but you’ll be alright!
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Padma Lakshmi
Where did your passion for cooking come from?
Padma: I think it came from being raised in the kitchen by my grandmother, by all the women in my family. I quickly understood that the kitchen is where the power in the house was, where all the decisions were made and where all the family gossip was exchanged. From a very young age, I associated food and cooking with femininity and specifically feminine power because that’s who I saw cooking.
Did you face any challenges when stepping up to the Pirelli shoot?
Padma Lakshmi: No. I mean look, I was a model in the 90s, I did a lot of lingerie and it was very difficult when I first started. I come from a very conservative, orthodox family, they were not happy at first. But my mother, in our home, always raised me to be comfortable in my body and was someone who’s very comfortable in their body. I had a very natural relationship with my body and other people’s bodies.
By the time I did this picture, I was very comfortable doing these pictures and I never agreed to do them with people whom I don’t trust or respect artistically. I have worked with Ethan before; I actually picked him to shoot my lingerie campaign earlier this year and I loved working with him. I love how collaborative he is, I love how safe he made me feel but also trust in his good taste. He loves the classic lines but he’s also good at challenging our perceptions of what beauty is and trying to expand that. As a gay man, as somebody who’s been a model, as someone who loves all kinds of people in his life as I do in mine, it’s something that’s important to us.
So much of this image is about confidence and feeling comfortable in your own skin. You’ve got a teenage daughter yourself, how much of that mindset do you pass on to her and how do you talk to her about that?
Padma Lakshmi: I hope that I do as my mother did and lead by example and feel comfortable in my skin. I think that comes with age, I think that comes with a lot of talking to her. I took her off of social media, and then she tried to get on it, and then I kicked her off again and she got punished so she’s not having social media. But it’s all around her, it’s something I think about every day, I want her to figure out who she is before other people tell her and I think most of us don’t get that privilege in our lives and I think it’s something that we should really protect of our children as long as it’s possible. The world will tell you all kinds of things and the longer you can keep that at bay, the better. So, I also think that it doesn’t mean we should be afraid of our bodies. Our bodies are not for us to feel ashamed of. A lot of times we wind up covering our bodies because of how other people make us feel, because of what we look like, but that is not our problem it’s theirs. Having the freedom and safety and privilege to be shot, this free, is rare and is something that everyone should experience in their lives, I’m just lucky that I got to do it. Every woman should feel the way I feel in this picture. Every man should know what it feels like to be appreciated for what the body is, I mean that in the most expansive way. That’s what I also love about the calendar, there’s not just male and female but also non binary people in there, there are people of all skin tones, of all body shapes. It could go further, I’m conscious of that too, but this is a great start.
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In an interview last year you spoke about wanting to challenge yourself creatively, what has that journey looked like in 2024 and in which direction would you like to venture towards?
Padma: I’ve just finished a book, so I had a book come out last week that I edited. It’s an anthology of the best American food in travel writing. I had to write a literary essay as part of that myself. I wanted to write a piece of travel and food writing that wasn’t about lifestyle writing. I love writing about food but a lot of it can frankly be vapid and very superficial. People travel for different kind of journeys. Sometimes you travel to find yourself, sometimes you travel to lose yourself, so just exploring those themes in a much more meaningful way that makes it worth a person opening up that book and reading you.
I also finished another book that is also coming out that is about the last five years of travelling and eating throughout America, literally on the road with Taste The Nation, which is a show about immigrant food that’s on Hulu.
I’m stretching myself creatively in other ways, going into scripted shows and things like that. I’m at the bottom of a bell curve and it’s always really scary when you make a decision to change direction in one’s career, I’ve had to do it several times. People don’t tell you as a young woman that everything takes longer than you think it’s going to take and it took me much longer to figure out what my career path would be, and I wasn’t making money from any one thing when I was 30, I had to do four things, and those four things added up to my living. Today, at 54, I’m able to make creative choices that I wasn’t able to make as a young person, so I’m trying not to squander that. It’s wonderful to always try and do something new, it keeps you young both physically and also mentally. I wouldn’t think that a picture like this would happen for me, so it’s so wonderful it has at this point in my womanhood, it feels really gratifying and I don’t think that the pictures would have the same tenor of relaxation that they do, because I took them today.
You’ve spoken a lot about femininity, what message of empowerment would you offer young women?
Padma: Because I am Indian and grew up in America before the Internet, I was always ping-ponging between two different notions of what it meant to be beautiful, to be desirable, to be a good woman, a proper woman, all of those things. They were different. I would go to India on summer holidays and everyone would say how skinny I was and how I wasn’t going to fill out a sari. Then I’d go to America and open magazines with people who had blonde hair and blue eyes. So, I was always travelling two cultures and although it was really hard and difficult to do that as a child, I do think it made me much more broad minded and much more nimble in dealing with different expectations that people had of me, in my personal life but also in my professional life. The advice that I would give to young women is to remind them that all that matters is how you think of yourself and how you feel about yourself, opinions will change, trends will change, notions of beauty will change. You will never be able to contort yourself to any given day’s flavour, what you can only do is be the best version of yourself. All you can do is compare yourself to the person you were everyday and ask – are you better?
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Words: Ana Lamond