Elian Gallardo presents the concepts of the EGM 2026 Calendar
- Matheus Hooks/ Editor-In-Chief
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The EGM 2026 Calendar starts on a high note in every sense. Conceived and directed by Elian Gallardo, the project debuts with the theme Mountain, which opens the year’s narrative by embracing altitude, contemplation, and the symbolic construction of a career. More than marking dates, the calendar puts forward a visual manifesto on time, the body, and positioning within the fashion market.
Photographed in Campos do Jordão, in the countryside of São Paulo, the first chapter of the calendar turns the natural landscape into an active part of the narrative. Mountains, forest, rivers, the mountain climate, and the presence of a trailer come together to create a setting that goes beyond aesthetics and speaks directly to the ideas of ascent, resilience, and professional trajectory.
“Campos do Jordão brings together everything the concept calls for: altitude, silence, strength, and contemplation. Nature becomes part of the image,” says Elian.
The photoshoot draws references from the cinematic imagery of Brokeback Mountain, evoking freedom, introspection, and the connection between body and landscape. On set, models Otávio Gimenes, elected Summer Muse, and Luiz Ferrer, a boxer and model, represent bodies that communicate power, discipline, and presence—core values of Elian Gallardo Model.
Renowned for discovering and projecting new talent, Elian Gallardo signs both the creative direction and photography of the calendar, reinforcing his authorial signature by building visual narratives with national and international reach.
“The EGM 2026 Calendar is not about dates. It’s about time, strength, and positioning. January is born at altitude because a career is built at the top, not in comfort,” he concludes.
More than an editorial project, the calendar also carries an autobiographical dimension. The idea of living in a trailer, surrounded by nature and mountains, has always been part of the photographer’s imagination—a desire for freedom, essence, and slowing down that now materializes in images.
“This project brings together a personal dream, a real need in the market, and a creative revival that had been dormant,” he explains.
The EGM 2026 Calendar emerges as a response to the loss of space for authorial imagery in today’s accelerated digital era. Elian proposes reclaiming the impact of the great calendars and editorials produced from the late 1980s through the 1990s and early 2000s, when photography had time, concept, and permanence.
“There was a time when images had impact and depth. That was lost. I wanted to bring it back, but with a new approach,” he says.
The project engages with iconic references such as the Pirelli calendars, V Magazine editorials, and classic Olympic calendars, as well as the direct influence of photographers like Bruce Weber, Mario Testino, and Steven Klein. Historic Abercrombie & Fitch campaigns and the grand Victoria’s Secret shows also helped shape the director’s aesthetic vision.
“They didn’t just portray beauty. They created identity, attitude, and characters. That’s what I wanted to bring back,” he says.
Another central pillar of the calendar is the curation of the models. According to Elian, the selection goes far beyond aesthetic standards.
“The selection process is deeply strategic and sensitive. I’m not looking for perfection. I’m looking for presence, attitude, truth, and courage. The body is language—it’s an extension of the soul. It provokes, communicates, and creates connection,” he explains.
The EGM 2026 Calendar blends established names with new faces, maintaining a commitment to constant renewal in the market. Each month functions as an independent chapter with its own concept. On average, two to four models participate in each theme, in productions that require full shooting days of eight to twelve hours, especially on external locations.
“Improvisation only happens after everything has been carefully thought through. There is intense work behind the scenes—concept studies, body reading, and an understanding of each model’s career moment,” he details.
Presented in a virtual format, the calendar serves as a contemporary showcase that revives the editorial power of an era defined by image permanence, now reinterpreted through a current, authorial, and strategic lens.
“The EGM 2026 Calendar is memory in motion. A visual manifesto that honors the past, challenges the present, and builds the future,” concludes Elian Gallardo.
