A Look At The 2011 Lavazza Calendar, 'The Making Of' And 'Behind The Scenes.'

above: Celebrity Olivia Wilde and her husband Tao Ruspoli make an appearance in the 2011 Calendar

The 2011 Lavazza Calendar is out now and this year it captures the romance of "Falling In Love In Italy" as seen through the photos of celebrity photographer Mark Seliger amongst the beautiful backdrops of Italy's cities and countrysides.



The annually produced calendar, which is not available for purchase but instead is designed for Lavazza's clients, has bimonthly shots that feature six couples engaged in love, including actress Olivia Wilde and her husband Tao Ruspoli, with Italy as the backdrop.

The Cover:

above: Bill Gentle as Cupid.
In a typically Italian cafe, a modern Cupid is enjoying a Lavazza espresso to pick himself up, before beginning his workday.

January - February, Capri:

detail:

above: Olivia Wilde and her husband Tao Ruspoli.
A gentle reawakening with the Capri promontory in the background, for the two lovers reclining on the beach in the pale light of dawn.

March - April, Naples:

detail:

above: Enrique Palacios and Monica Castillo.
Blown by the breeze, snow-­‐white veils strike against a light-­‐blue Mediterranean sky, interpreting a true Neapolitan love story.

May - June, Verona:

detail:

above: Noot Seear and Cedric Bihr.
Verona: the famous lovers’ balcony and a modern Romeo, who unexpectedly dropped down from the sky, with his parachute on a sculpture shaped as a coffee cup.

July- August, Tuscany:

detail:

above: Liliana Dominguez and Alessandro Giallocosta.
In a field of wheat — a typical Tuscan landscape — two lovers take a break behind a haystack, which has the shape of a coffee cup.

September - October, Venice:

detail:

above: Violet Budd and Enrique Palacios.
Venice: high water, magic night atmosphere, an espresso... perfect ingredients for a prelude to love.

November- December, Florence:

detail:

above: Jeisa Chiminazzo and Ivan Olita.
In a traditional Italian garden, two young lovers are surrounded by plumes of fireflies, all attracted by the flavour of espresso.

The "Making Of" video:


Backstage at the photoshoot:


Olivia Wilde talks about her marriage and appearance in the 2011 Lavazza Calendar:


The theme Falling in love in Italy is a statement that Lavazza has been proudly promoting for years, thanks to a series of international photographers, through the pictures of its advertising campaigns, linked to the company’s famous calendar and enjoyed by people all over the world.

Three Calendar pictures (Naples, Tuscany and Venice) were chosen to convey the mood and sensuality of a couple falling in love, captured by Seliger and enhanced by the perfect backdrop of “cult” Italian landscapes in which Lavazza espresso is both an ingredient and a protagonist of the romantic atmosphere and Italian way of life. This last element is inextricably linked to the quality and experience of the brand in the world, which Seliger has interpreted by including a Lavazza espresso in every shot.

The press and poster campaign will cover 16 countries.

As in Lavazza’s previous international campaigns, the 2011 campaign will allow the public to enjoy pictures with great artistic value. They are a kind of open-­‐air art exhibition that describe the glamorous, seductive world of Lavazza coffee.

The visuals will be enhanced by the pay-­‐off, The Real Italian Espresso Experience, which underlines not only the Lavazza tradition and its sense of belonging, but also its drive towards innovation and internationality, revealed by the attention focused on the espresso "ritual” of which Lavazza is the standard-­‐bearer.



Full Credits:
Photographer: Mark Seliger
Creative Project: Armando Testa
Executive Creative Director: Michele Mariani
Creative Director: Andrea Lantelme
Vice Creative Director: Michele Pieri
Production: Federico Levizzani, The Box Films
Set Designer: Kristen Vallow
Stylist: Alice Gentilucci
Hair Stylist: Rudi Lewis
Make-­‐up Artist: Lucia Pica
Photographer’s Assistant: Patrick Randak
Post Production: Alexandro Martinengo, Mark Seliger Studio

Special Guests: Olivia Wilde & Tao Ruspoli (Capri)

Models:
Bill Gentle (Cupid)
Monica Castillo & Enrique Palacios (Naples)
Noot Seear & Cedric Bihr (Verona -­‐ Romeo and Juliet)
Liliana Dominguez & Alessandro Giallocosta (Tuscany)
Violet Budd & Enrique Palacios (Venice)
Jeisa Chiminazzo & Ivan Olita (Florence – Italian garden)

Special thanks to: Ballantyne, Luisa Beccaria, Blumarine, Brioni, Etro, Gianfranco Ferrè, La Perla, Ermanno Scervino, Giuseppe Zanotti
Jewels : Leo Pizzo
Event Planning and realisation by Promoconvention
Press Office Edelman

The Lavazza 2010 Calendar: Music To Your Eyes by Photographer Miles Aldridge.

It's that time of year again. When the drool-worthy calendar by Lavazza is released.

For the past 18 years, the annually produced calendar has been unavailable to the public and created with the talented firm Armando Testa for Lavazza's clients. Legendary photographers ranging from Albert Watson to Annie Leibovitz have had the honor of shooting the piece and more and more the yearly release is eagerly anticipated. Every year the calendar gets much deserved favorable and flattering press coverage along with other coveted and exclusive, and coincidentally Italian, calendars like Pirelli's or Campari's. And like the past two years, I have the entire calendar, behind the scenes shots and a making of video for you.

This year's calendar is yet another visual spectacle. Shot by photographer Miles Aldridge in a "Futuretrò" style, this years' them is the universal languages of Music and Photography.



British photographer Miles Aldridge was given the task of visually interpreting six of the ultimate Italian classics: Va' Pensiero, Guarda Che Luna, 'O Sole Mio, Con Te Partirò, Baciami Piccina and Nessun Dorma.

Now don't just gloss over the music and admire these beautiful photos. The classic Italian pieces of music are moving and inspiring. If you're not familiar with them, look them up and have a listen. You even have the opportunity on Lavazza's site to download an mp3 version of the tear-provoking classic Nessun Dorma by Antony and the Johnsons (in conjunction with Sony Music) here.



Now the 2010 Lavazza calendar:

January/February:

March/April:

May/June:

July/August:

September/October:

November/December:


The photographer talks about the project and some behind the scenes shots:

above: Miles Aldrige shooting the calendar

"This project instantly reminded me of Fellini". Miles Aldridge talking on set, at the Cinecittà studios in Rome, about the Lavazza Calendar. "Through the music, melodies and arias I glimpsed stories that told bittersweet tales, dramas, rebirths. I was reminded of characters and stories from films like La Strada and La Dolce Vita".



Even the six Calendar models are strong-willed heroines. "I didn't just want six beautiful girls. I wanted six women who could prove they were larger than life".



The life of Aldridge (married with four children and living in London) is all about light and colour. "I can draw inspiration from anything: a bright red garage in Soho, a woman wearing a green coat crossing the street. The fabulous orange in pictures by Francis Bacon or a palette of colours put together by the Wizard of Oz".



Aldridge prefers artificial shades: phosphorescent yellow, bubblegum pink, the bright green of imitation grass, and deep blue - not sky-blue or the marine blue found in wall frescoes, but the unidentifiable blue of an air hostess's uniform, or the blue of Italy's national football team. He also draws great inspiration from early colour films: "I love the way that Technicolor has always broken everything down into areas of pure colour, giving the shadows a brilliant shade of blue".



More behind the scenes shots:










The Video of the Making Of:
   
Credits:  
Supervision & Coordination Lavazza Corporate Image, Advertising Department 
 Photographer Miles Aldridge 
Creative Project Armando Testa 
 Creative Director Michele Mariani 
 Art Director Andrea Lantelme 
 Copywriter Michele Pieri 
 Production Federico Levizzani, The Box Films 
 Set Designer Andy Hillman 
 Stylist Alice Gentilucci 
 Hair Stylist Malcom Edwards 
 Make-up Artist Alice Ghendriah 
 Photographer Assistants Pawel Pysz, Alex Sjoeberg 
 Post Production Tapestry Models: Bianca Balti, Georgia Frost, Lydia Hearst, Daisy Lowe, Alexandra Tomlinson, Alek Alexeyeva 
Special thanks to Chantecler gioielli and also to Roberto Cavalli, Cavalli & Nastri, Diego Dolcini per Jo No Fui, Dolce & Gabbana, Fisico, La Perla, Sergio Rossi, Sebastian    

Be sure to see these past Lavazza calendars:

 

  The 2009 Lavazza Calendar (Annie Leibovitz)

 

 The 2008 Lavazza Calendar (Finlay McKay)

Lavazza Continues Their Tradition Of Stunning Calendars With Annie Leibovitz for 2009

I'm a huge fan of Lavazza products, the company and their corporate culture. And each year I look forward to their new calendar, which is unparalleled in its quality and production. Armando Testa of Italy deserves as much of the credit as does Lavazza. A collaboration that has yielded some of the most impressive forms of communication for Lavazza's product lines for 48 years now!