Anniversary calendar attracts top line photographers

Valerie van der Graaf

The calendar, named the Lavazzers, reunites Erwin Olaf, Thierry Le Gouès, Miles Aldridge, Marino Parisotto, Eugenio Recuenco, Elliott Erwitt, Finlay MacKay, Mark Seliger, Annie Leibovitz, Albert Watson, David LaChapelle and Ellen von Unwerth.

They put themselves enthusiastically into play, celebrating their most intimate relationships with the coffee, led by the Armando Testa agency, which was in charge of producing this edition of the calendar. The photographers interpreted themselves in innovative, unusual and imaginative shots.

"It was incredible to work with these talents, managing to capture the relationship between their personalities and coffee in each photograph," emphasised Michele Mariani, executive creative director, Armando Testa Agency. "It was almost like a return home, or even better, a new interpretation of 'Espress Yourself', so close to the heart of the brand."

Symbolic birthday with dual meaning

The icon and driving force behind the 2012 Calendar and the entire project connected to the celebration of the twenty-year anniversary will be Valerie van der Graaf. The young Dutch model, protagonist of the photographs by Ellen von Unwerth, will be on the cover of the 2012 Calendar as she blows out the candles for a symbolic birthday with dual meaning. It is the 20th edition of the calendar and Valerie is also 20 years old.

Like the 1995 Calendar, also by Ellen von Unwerth, which marked the celebrations for the hundred-year anniversary of the Turin-based company with a very young Amber Smith in front of an enormous birthday cake, these new images by the German photographer show Valerie in front of 20 lit birthday candles. In the self-portrait in the 2012 Calendar, Ellen is once again ready to celebrate.