Two Photographers, One Vision Split in Two . The 2027 Pirelli Calendar Rewrites Its Own Rules

The Pirelli Calendar has long been defined by singular authorship, one photographer shaping one narrative, setting the tone for how a moment in culture is captured and remembered. For 2027, that model is being reworked in a way that signals a more layered and deliberate evolution of the project.

Pirelli has confirmed that the upcoming edition will be created by two photographers, Avani Rai and Sølve Sundsbø, marking the first time in the Calendar’s history that dual creative direction will sit at its core. This is not simply a collaborative gesture, but a structural shift that reframes how authorship and perspective operate within one of fashion and photography’s most influential platforms.

Sølve Sundsbø

Sundsbø’s return is significant in its own right, as he becomes the first photographer to be invited back for consecutive editions following his work on the 2026 Calendar. His visual language is firmly established within contemporary fashion photography, defined by precision, technical experimentation, and a controlled, often surreal aesthetic that pushes beyond traditional editorial boundaries. His work does not simply document subjects, it constructs them, often blending digital processes with physical composition to create images that feel both engineered and cinematic.

In contrast, Rai’s role introduces a markedly different dimension to the project, one shaped by continuity and personal connection rather than reinvention alone. Stepping in to complete a series originally developed by her father, Raghu Rai, she brings with her not only her own photographic voice but also an inherited perspective rooted in her father’s lifelong engagement with India. Her contribution is not positioned as a replacement, but as a continuation, preserving the integrity of a vision already in motion while interpreting it through her own lens.

Avani Rai

This contrast between the two photographers is where the 2027 Calendar finds its conceptual strength. Sundsbø approaches image making through distance, interpretation, and technical innovation, shaping subjects into highly considered visual statements. Rai’s work, by contrast, is grounded in proximity, memory, and cultural understanding, offering a perspective that is less constructed and more intrinsically connected to the subject itself. Together, they represent two fundamentally different approaches to photography, one outward looking and interpretive, the other inward looking and experiential.

The decision to bring these perspectives together suggests a Calendar that will not seek uniformity, but instead allow difference to define its narrative. This represents a departure from the project’s historical reliance on a singular creative voice, introducing a more complex form of storytelling where multiple interpretations can exist simultaneously without being forced into cohesion.

India, as the focus of the 2027 edition, becomes central to this dynamic. Through Sundsbø’s lens, it is likely to be explored as a visual and conceptual landscape, interpreted through a global fashion framework. Through Rai’s contribution, it becomes something more intimate and layered, shaped by lived experience and a deep understanding of the country’s cultural and emotional textures. The result is expected to be less about presenting a singular image of India and more about exploring how different perspectives can coexist within the same narrative space.

At a broader level, this approach reflects a shift within the creative industries, where storytelling is increasingly moving away from singular authorship toward more nuanced, multi perspective frameworks. The 2027 Pirelli Calendar appears to be aligning with that shift, acknowledging that cultural narratives are rarely defined by one viewpoint alone.

No further details have been released regarding cast or creative direction, but the choice of photographers already defines the tone of the project. By placing two distinct visual languages at its centre, the Calendar is not simply evolving its format, it is redefining how perspective itself is constructed within one of the most closely watched creative platforms in the world.