Follow
0
Pirelli Calendar 2026

Big emotions, big names, big gestures

The Pirelli calendar knows neither birthdays nor holidays – instead, it features big names, big poses, and even bigger production budgets. In 2026, Sølve Sundsbø promises longing, freedom, and everything else that has made Pirelli so irresistible for 60 years.

  • Text
    Matthias Mederer
  • Fotos
    From the backstage of the Pirelli Calendar 2026 by Sølve Sundsbø, photo by Alessandro Scotti

The Pirelli calendar has undergone many transformations. From the racy workshop pin-ups of the 1960s to the glamorous parade of supermodels in the 1990s to the culturally and politically charged productions of recent years, it has repeatedly been proclaimed that the calendar has been reinvented. In most cases, this meant that the same basic concept—highly polished photographs of beautiful women—was repackaged in a new form.

The goal for 2026:

“A kind of mystery, fantasy, passions, the desire for emancipation, the connection to nature and our relationship to time and space. It's a way to connect with something we come from.”

For 2026, Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø is now at the helm. A master of surreal imagery who is as skilled with digital technologies as he is with the classic darkroom, this year he surrounds his models with themes such as freedom, longing, curiosity, and emancipation. In front of his camera: a mix of icons from the worlds of acting, fashion, music, and sports, including Tilda Swinton, Isabella Rossellini, Irina Shayk, FKA Twigs, and Venus Williams. A casting that aims for complexity – while maintaining the exclusive aura that has always surrounded the calendar. Sundsbø's claim: “A kind of mystery, fantasy, passions, the desire for emancipation, the connection to nature and our relationship to time and space. It's a way to connect with something we come from.” So Eva Herzigova poses underwater in an aquarium, and Venus Williams digitally explodes everything behind the scenes. The element of fire dominates.

1/8

Anyone familiar with Pirelli knows that the promise to present a “new image of women” with each edition is as old as the calendar itself. Sundsbø's poetic and technical imagery is not intended to dispel this myth. The motifs may change, but the basic principle remains the same: a limited, artfully staged collection that above all presents a carefully curated idea of how beauty, personality, and prominence should fit together in these times.

Whether this is feminist avant-garde or simply exquisitely photographed zeitgeist will, as always, be in the eye of the beholder. One thing is certain: the 2026 Pirelli Calendar is ambitious, aesthetically sophisticated, and remains what it has been for decades: a status symbol with a big name and even bigger production costs.

→ pirelli.com

Matthias Mederer

Matthias Mederer

Editor & Photographer
A colleague once introduced Matthias Mederer to a new intern like this: “This is Matze. He's never actually here, but he gets paid full salary.” At least he has a good excuse: he's been hunting stories for ramp.space for over ten years – in words and pictures. And all over the world. His style: cinematic, carried by a keen sense of narrative dramaturgy that can only be found on the road.

Similar articles

Our Bestsellers

  • The Ferrari Book
    The Ferrari Book
    100,00 EUR
    Explore the evolution of Ferrari from its beginnings to its current status as a symbol of luxury and performance.
  • rampstyle #33 When You Know, You Know
    rampstyle #33 When You Know, You Know
    20,00 EUR
    Knowledge makes all the difference. Sound knowledge not only gives us a solid foundation from which to navigate the world, it also inspires new ideas. Knowledge has impact. At the very least, it’s stimulating. Because, having become curious, we immerse ourselves in a topic, explore what it all really means.
  • The Porsche Book
    The Porsche Book
    100,00 EUR
    An opulent and entertainingly informative coffee table book about the elite of automobiles – Porsche! It offers a comprehensive view of the brand's significance in pop culture and automotive history.
  • rampstyle #32 Stay Cool
    rampstyle #32 Stay Cool
    20,00 EUR
    A professional survival tip for beginners: If you become lost and a search is initiated for you: Stay put. This may sound simple, but it is not. In stressful situations, our brain releases a substantial amount of norepinephrine into the relevant receptors, which unfortunately significantly impairs cognitive function.
  • Mercedes-Benz Milestones
    Mercedes-Benz Milestones
    50,00 EUR
    In the visually stunning coffee table book Mercedes-Benz Milestones, the ramp editorial team takes you on a journey through the history of the internationally coveted German car manufacturer.
  • BMW Milestones
    BMW Milestones
    50,00 EUR
    The ultimate BMW guide: The icons of the car brand in a visually stunning coffee table book.
  • ramp #65<br>Surfing Cowboys
    ramp #65
    Surfing Cowboys
    20,00 EUR
    If you think "Surfing Cowboys" refers to neoprene-clad prairie riders or surfers wearing cowboy hats, you're slightly off the mark in this case. In the latest issue of our Car.Culture.Magazine, it's about the meeting of two quintessentially American archetypes, both embodying a deep longing for lived independence and untamed, self-determined freedom.
  • ramp #64 How About That!
    ramp #64 How About That!
    20,00 EUR
    Surprises open our eyes to new things, which now isn't really a big surprise. The unexpected simply stays in memory longer, sparks curiosity – and prompts action. Essential for adapting to a changing world. The future might just be warming up for progress. It's meant to move forward effectively.
  • rampstyle #31 Isn't That Something?
    rampstyle #31 Isn't That Something?
    20,00 EUR
    Focusing on the essentials, blocking out everything else... If you’re focused, you’ve already mastered one important key skill. In our multimodal world, focus is, unfortunately, a rather limited resource. In particularly focused moments, we forget all about time. But do we run the risk of developing tunnel vision? Does focus lose its power over time? Do we become habituated? Far from it. Unexpected surprises? Bring ‘em on!
  • ramp #63 Happy on the Road
    ramp #63 Happy on the Road
    20,00 EUR
    Happy on the road? You bet. For any respectable car culture magazine, after all, being happy on the road is a mandatory prerequisite. Over time, and with a little bit of luck (which is, after all, a close relative of happiness), these feelings cheerfully blossom into an emotional foundation that ...
  • rampstyle #30 Blue Skies
    rampstyle #30 Blue Skies
    20,00 EUR
    After “All Summer Long” here’s our follow-up issue with the title “Blue Skies”. Of course. Because readers who know a little something about the English singer and songwriter Chris Rea will have already noticed how we’ve come full circle here. The blue sky as a symbol of hopeful optimism about what’s to come.
  • ramp #62 Wild Things
    ramp #62 Wild Things
    20,00 EUR
    Just heading along, the journey itself a wonderfully blank page that presents itself to us with a cheerful unpredictability, as an inspired playing field for trial and error, for curiosity and spontaneity, unexpected surprises and flights of fancy. Wild and untamed. Just like life itself.
  • Director’s Cut: Luxury
    Director’s Cut: Luxury
    80,00 EUR
    125,00 EUR
    Luxury is enticing and exciting, polarizing and provocative, not to mention that it is good for the economy. But the essence of luxury goes far beyond the material. Luxury appeals to our senses, our dreams and our desires. It immediately evokes images that are as precise as they are diverse. Luxury also triggers some pretty clear opinions – both favorable and unfavorable.
  • rampdesign: Success by Design
    rampdesign: Success by Design
    20,00 EUR
    A design that makes all the difference? Always a nice task. An even more exciting task is the development of an attractive and desirable design that is derived coherently from the brand and which creates long-term brand awareness using a modern approach. Which makes it so important to come up with a design that differentiates and positions the brand effectively.
  • Porsche 911 Everlasting Love Stories
    Porsche 911 Everlasting Love Stories
    99,00 EUR
    Sixty years of the Porsche 911 – sixty years that stand for very personal, highly emotional relationships of love involving this sports car. Stories marked by love, lust and passion. Captured in this high-quality illustrated book.
  • rampstyle #29 All Summer Long
    rampstyle #29 All Summer Long
    20,00 EUR
    Barcelona in summer. With Alvaro Soler - and a Porsche 911 SC. An approach to the phenomenon and the person Yves Saint Laurent. We spoke with Udo Kier in Palm Springs, and Luc Donckerwolke in his garage. And then there's the cover - and the associated story of House of Spoils.
  • ramp #61 Love Is in the Air
    ramp #61 Love Is in the Air
    20,00 EUR
    Blue skies, the scent of fresh grass, the warmth of the moment – but above all: sunshine. The light of the sun’s rays, scientists say, is the decisive factor at the beginning of the warm season that triggers the merry mix of happiness hormones which energetically drive us headlong into the summer.
  • rampstyle #27 <br> By the Way
    rampstyle #27
    By the Way
    20,00 EUR
    Did you know that between thirty and fifty percent of all scientific discoveries are the result of coincidence? Velcro, Viagra, X-rays – sometimes people find things without even looking for them, but they are rewarded with an unexpected alternative.
  • rampstyle #28 Into the Great Wide Open
    rampstyle #28 Into the Great Wide Open
    20,00 EUR
    An exclusive fashion editorial with Tim Bendzko. Unseen pictures by photographer Anouk Masson Krantz. A conversation with star director Guy Ritchie and a somewhat different interview with musician Dan Auerbach. All this and much more awaits you in this issue of rampstyle.
  • The Lamborghini Book
    The Lamborghini Book
    100,00 EUR
    Author texts, expert interviews and aesthetically pleasing imagery do the brand justice in all aspects and make the book a must-have for all car fans and Lamborghini enthusiasts. An overview of all series models with full technical specifications completes this extraordinary and ambitious book project.
  • Director’s Cut: The Lamborghini Book
    Director’s Cut: The Lamborghini Book
    100,00 EUR
    Author texts, expert interviews and aesthetically pleasing imagery do the brand justice in all aspects and make the book a must-have for all car fans and Lamborghini enthusiasts. Alongside exclusive design sketches, an overview of all series models with full technical specifications completes this extraordinary and ambitious book project.
  • ramp #60 Too Cool to Handle.
    ramp #60 Too Cool to Handle.
    20,00 EUR
    A magazine about coolness? Among other things. But one thing at a time. First of all, it’s off to the movies. There’s this businessman from Boston who helps relieve a bank of a substantial amount of money. The insurance companies are on to him, but they can’t prove a thing. That, in a nutshell, is the plot of...
  • ramp #59 Tomorrow Is Yesterday
    ramp #59 Tomorrow Is Yesterday
    18,00 EUR
    “Tomorrow Is Yesterday” was the title of an episode of the television series Star Trek, and although it was the nineteenth episode overall, it was the first to flicker into German living rooms fifty years ago this May. The story revolved around timelines and time travel.
  • rampstyle #26 Good News
    rampstyle #26 Good News
    15,00 EUR
    Two thin ovals far up inside a circle, a curved arc below, sketched on sunny yellow. In a split second, our brain has combined the elements into a smiling face, instantly putting us in a good mood. Wonderful! A smiley like that just feels good.
  • Men’s manual - Best of rampstyle by Michael Köckritz
    Men’s manual - Best of rampstyle by Michael Köckritz
    29,90 EUR
    Existential questions are answered here: How do I build the perfect sandcastle? How do I start a band? Is there a perfect record player? (Spoiler Alert: yes, there is). Men´s manual is a supergroup of sorts: ramp and teNeues throw together their concentrated expertise in lifestyle.
  • The Ferrari Book
    The Ferrari Book
    100,00 EUR
    Explore the evolution of Ferrari from its beginnings to its current status as a symbol of luxury and performance.
  • rampstyle #33 When You Know, You Know
    rampstyle #33 When You Know, You Know
    20,00 EUR
    Knowledge makes all the difference. Sound knowledge not only gives us a solid foundation from which to navigate the world, it also inspires new ideas. Knowledge has impact. At the very least, it’s stimulating. Because, having become curious, we immerse ourselves in a topic, explore what it all really means.
  • The Porsche Book
    The Porsche Book
    100,00 EUR
    An opulent and entertainingly informative coffee table book about the elite of automobiles – Porsche! It offers a comprehensive view of the brand's significance in pop culture and automotive history.
  • rampstyle #32 Stay Cool
    rampstyle #32 Stay Cool
    20,00 EUR
    A professional survival tip for beginners: If you become lost and a search is initiated for you: Stay put. This may sound simple, but it is not. In stressful situations, our brain releases a substantial amount of norepinephrine into the relevant receptors, which unfortunately significantly impairs cognitive function.
  • Mercedes-Benz Milestones
    Mercedes-Benz Milestones
    50,00 EUR
    In the visually stunning coffee table book Mercedes-Benz Milestones, the ramp editorial team takes you on a journey through the history of the internationally coveted German car manufacturer.
  • BMW Milestones
    BMW Milestones
    50,00 EUR
    The ultimate BMW guide: The icons of the car brand in a visually stunning coffee table book.
  • ramp #65<br>Surfing Cowboys
    ramp #65
    Surfing Cowboys
    20,00 EUR
    If you think "Surfing Cowboys" refers to neoprene-clad prairie riders or surfers wearing cowboy hats, you're slightly off the mark in this case. In the latest issue of our Car.Culture.Magazine, it's about the meeting of two quintessentially American archetypes, both embodying a deep longing for lived independence and untamed, self-determined freedom.
  • ramp #64 How About That!
    ramp #64 How About That!
    20,00 EUR
    Surprises open our eyes to new things, which now isn't really a big surprise. The unexpected simply stays in memory longer, sparks curiosity – and prompts action. Essential for adapting to a changing world. The future might just be warming up for progress. It's meant to move forward effectively.
  • rampstyle #31 Isn't That Something?
    rampstyle #31 Isn't That Something?
    20,00 EUR
    Focusing on the essentials, blocking out everything else... If you’re focused, you’ve already mastered one important key skill. In our multimodal world, focus is, unfortunately, a rather limited resource. In particularly focused moments, we forget all about time. But do we run the risk of developing tunnel vision? Does focus lose its power over time? Do we become habituated? Far from it. Unexpected surprises? Bring ‘em on!
  • ramp #63 Happy on the Road
    ramp #63 Happy on the Road
    20,00 EUR
    Happy on the road? You bet. For any respectable car culture magazine, after all, being happy on the road is a mandatory prerequisite. Over time, and with a little bit of luck (which is, after all, a close relative of happiness), these feelings cheerfully blossom into an emotional foundation that ...
  • rampstyle #30 Blue Skies
    rampstyle #30 Blue Skies
    20,00 EUR
    After “All Summer Long” here’s our follow-up issue with the title “Blue Skies”. Of course. Because readers who know a little something about the English singer and songwriter Chris Rea will have already noticed how we’ve come full circle here. The blue sky as a symbol of hopeful optimism about what’s to come.
  • ramp #62 Wild Things
    ramp #62 Wild Things
    20,00 EUR
    Just heading along, the journey itself a wonderfully blank page that presents itself to us with a cheerful unpredictability, as an inspired playing field for trial and error, for curiosity and spontaneity, unexpected surprises and flights of fancy. Wild and untamed. Just like life itself.
  • Director’s Cut: Luxury
    Director’s Cut: Luxury
    80,00 EUR
    125,00 EUR
    Luxury is enticing and exciting, polarizing and provocative, not to mention that it is good for the economy. But the essence of luxury goes far beyond the material. Luxury appeals to our senses, our dreams and our desires. It immediately evokes images that are as precise as they are diverse. Luxury also triggers some pretty clear opinions – both favorable and unfavorable.
  • rampdesign: Success by Design
    rampdesign: Success by Design
    20,00 EUR
    A design that makes all the difference? Always a nice task. An even more exciting task is the development of an attractive and desirable design that is derived coherently from the brand and which creates long-term brand awareness using a modern approach. Which makes it so important to come up with a design that differentiates and positions the brand effectively.
  • Porsche 911 Everlasting Love Stories
    Porsche 911 Everlasting Love Stories
    99,00 EUR
    Sixty years of the Porsche 911 – sixty years that stand for very personal, highly emotional relationships of love involving this sports car. Stories marked by love, lust and passion. Captured in this high-quality illustrated book.
  • rampstyle #29 All Summer Long
    rampstyle #29 All Summer Long
    20,00 EUR
    Barcelona in summer. With Alvaro Soler - and a Porsche 911 SC. An approach to the phenomenon and the person Yves Saint Laurent. We spoke with Udo Kier in Palm Springs, and Luc Donckerwolke in his garage. And then there's the cover - and the associated story of House of Spoils.
  • ramp #61 Love Is in the Air
    ramp #61 Love Is in the Air
    20,00 EUR
    Blue skies, the scent of fresh grass, the warmth of the moment – but above all: sunshine. The light of the sun’s rays, scientists say, is the decisive factor at the beginning of the warm season that triggers the merry mix of happiness hormones which energetically drive us headlong into the summer.
  • rampstyle #27 <br> By the Way
    rampstyle #27
    By the Way
    20,00 EUR
    Did you know that between thirty and fifty percent of all scientific discoveries are the result of coincidence? Velcro, Viagra, X-rays – sometimes people find things without even looking for them, but they are rewarded with an unexpected alternative.
  • rampstyle #28 Into the Great Wide Open
    rampstyle #28 Into the Great Wide Open
    20,00 EUR
    An exclusive fashion editorial with Tim Bendzko. Unseen pictures by photographer Anouk Masson Krantz. A conversation with star director Guy Ritchie and a somewhat different interview with musician Dan Auerbach. All this and much more awaits you in this issue of rampstyle.
  • The Lamborghini Book
    The Lamborghini Book
    100,00 EUR
    Author texts, expert interviews and aesthetically pleasing imagery do the brand justice in all aspects and make the book a must-have for all car fans and Lamborghini enthusiasts. An overview of all series models with full technical specifications completes this extraordinary and ambitious book project.
  • Director’s Cut: The Lamborghini Book
    Director’s Cut: The Lamborghini Book
    100,00 EUR
    Author texts, expert interviews and aesthetically pleasing imagery do the brand justice in all aspects and make the book a must-have for all car fans and Lamborghini enthusiasts. Alongside exclusive design sketches, an overview of all series models with full technical specifications completes this extraordinary and ambitious book project.
  • ramp #60 Too Cool to Handle.
    ramp #60 Too Cool to Handle.
    20,00 EUR
    A magazine about coolness? Among other things. But one thing at a time. First of all, it’s off to the movies. There’s this businessman from Boston who helps relieve a bank of a substantial amount of money. The insurance companies are on to him, but they can’t prove a thing. That, in a nutshell, is the plot of...
  • ramp #59 Tomorrow Is Yesterday
    ramp #59 Tomorrow Is Yesterday
    18,00 EUR
    “Tomorrow Is Yesterday” was the title of an episode of the television series Star Trek, and although it was the nineteenth episode overall, it was the first to flicker into German living rooms fifty years ago this May. The story revolved around timelines and time travel.
  • rampstyle #26 Good News
    rampstyle #26 Good News
    15,00 EUR
    Two thin ovals far up inside a circle, a curved arc below, sketched on sunny yellow. In a split second, our brain has combined the elements into a smiling face, instantly putting us in a good mood. Wonderful! A smiley like that just feels good.
  • Men’s manual - Best of rampstyle by Michael Köckritz
    Men’s manual - Best of rampstyle by Michael Köckritz
    29,90 EUR
    Existential questions are answered here: How do I build the perfect sandcastle? How do I start a band? Is there a perfect record player? (Spoiler Alert: yes, there is). Men´s manual is a supergroup of sorts: ramp and teNeues throw together their concentrated expertise in lifestyle.