I was surprised just now, seeing these images of women from the 1990 Pirelli Calendar, lensed by American photographer Arthur Elgort. Reading about Arthur Elgort, the image maker attributes much of his ‘snapshot’ style to a love of music and dance, especially jazz and ballet.

These Arthur Elgort images celebrate a Smart Sensuality woman who is fit and active, a woman who celebrates her body in a way that is integrated with her sexuality and is part of her identity.

Writing often about the growth of a ‘monastic, sexless’ style in fashion and popular culture, I can’t help but contrast these Arthur Elgort images of women in action, created for the 1990 Pirelli Calendar, with Karl Lagerfeld’s photos from this year’s calendar.

Karl Lagerfeld’s 2011 Pirelli Calendar

Karl Lagerfeld | Pirelli Calendar 2011 | The Female Divinities & Muses Are Feminists AOC Sensually Yours

Lagerfeld’s images are cooly intellectual and monastic — which is his philosophy when the topic is sensuality. Elgort’s images celebrate women in motion, active warrior goddesses, athletes. And while both men love ballet, I speculate that Elgort adores Alvin Ailey as much as George Ballanchine.

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