Against the historic backdrop of Jaigarh Fort near Jaipur, Indian model Bhavitha Mandava appeared as one of the featured figures in the 2027 Pirelli calendar, marking the first edition shot entirely in India with an all-Indian female cast. The calendar, launched in the 1960s by the Italian tyre company Pirelli, has long been recognized as a major platform for fashion photography, though it has faced criticism over decades for its limited diversity and portrayal of women.
Mandava, 26, who grew up in Hyderabad and recently gained international recognition as the first Indian woman to open the Chanel Métiers d’Art show and attract attention at the Met Gala, described the project as a departure from the calendar’s historically erotic imagery. She expressed initial reservations about the Pirelli calendar’s traditional association with sensuality, which she felt contrasted with India’s more modest cultural norms. Nevertheless, she welcomed the effort to celebrate India’s beauty and diversity, while cautioning against viewing herself solely as a representative of an entire nation or ethnicity.
The decision to center the calendar in India and highlight South Asian talent and artistry comes amid a broader shift in global fashion. Indian craftsmanship, including embroidery and textiles, has long influenced luxury fashion but often without due recognition for the artisans behind it. Efforts to acknowledge this include high-profile events such as Dior’s 2023 show staged at Mumbai’s Gateway of India featuring local embroidery workshops. In contrast, Prada’s 2025 runway faced backlash for appropriating traditional Kolhapuri leather sandals without prior acknowledgment, leading the brand to engage directly with the original artisans.
The 2027 calendar project was initially conceived as a collaboration between noted Indian photojournalist Raghu Rai and Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø. Following Rai’s death in April, his daughter Avani Rai, herself a photographer, took over his role. Avani Rai spoke of the challenge in continuing her father’s legacy and opted to focus on capturing the multiplicity and contradictions of Indian life, shooting in vibrant locations such as Delhi’s old city and flower markets.
Musician Anoushka Shankar, who will appear in the calendar with her sitar, highlighted the evolving representation of South Asian identity in global culture. Reflecting on her own experiences of feeling marginalized during her upbringing in the UK and the US, Shankar noted significant progress in how South Asian beauty and talent are perceived internationally.
Model and chef Padma Lakshmi, also featured in the calendar for the second time, described the shoot in India as imparting a distinctly feminine quality, connected to her upbringing in a household of women. At 55, she stands among the oldest women featured, celebrating a broader recognition of Indian beauty beyond narrow stereotypes. Lakshmi emphasized that the calendar’s portrayal reflects the diverse realities of what it means to be an Indian woman on a global scale.
This edition of the Pirelli calendar signals a shift in the fashion world’s approach to representation, acknowledging cultural contexts and elevating South Asian talent while engaging with broader conversations about diversity and the legacy of fashion imagery.