Bugs, Elephants, and Models Unite in Botswana for Pirelli 2009

fashionologie — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:17:56 -0800

>> Deep in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, photographer Peter Beard directed Mariacarla Boscono and Malgosia Bela to "show me fun" as they mucked through an algae-covered swamp in May. "Does it feel nice?" he asked Malgosia, who was submerged up to her waist in the goo. "It's nice," she replied, bringing her green hands up to her face.

The finished product - the 2009 Pirelli calendar - debuted yesterday, and you can see the whole thing here (NSFW), but it didn't come without the model cast (Rianne Ten Haken, Isabeli Fontana, Kemp Muhl, Daria Werbowy, Lara Stone, and Emanuela de Paula in addition to Mariacarla and Malgosia) going out on a limb - literally: one shot features a number of them posing nude way up in a bare tree. And they weren't always so comfortable - a big bug was placed on Isabeli's face, and though Peter directs, "Eyes open! Eyes open!" she visibly flinches, "I can't."

Gallery is NSFW.
*image: source