The Victoria's Secret Angels Are Modern Pinups

Can't get enough of your favorite angels? Will a dozen do? If you're suffering from withdrawal between the fashion show and the newly announced, first-ever Victoria's Secret swim special, you can stop obsessively Googling Jourdan Dunn now. 10 Magazine is giving you enough covers of Victoria's Secret angels to last you a whole year (if you're able to pace yourself and savor one per month, that is). The magazine is debuting 12 limited-edition covers of their Spring/Summer 2015 issue — each featuring a different angel. Shot by iconic photographer Nick Knight, the photos redefine the concept of the modern pinups. Using some of the most easily recognizable lingerie models to do so? Brilliant.

These aren't your average cheesecake pinup photos; they're breathtaking works of art. From Ming Xe being suspended in the air by the arms of four airbrushed muscle men to Jourdan Dunn's gold-leaf dusted spread and Behati Prinsloo's surrealist shoot on a foam tower, these photos are the opposite of basic. The shoot took months to execute — 12 months after the initial development of the concept, to be exact. I can barely coordinate a dinner for me and two of my best friends — I'm already stressed out trying to imagine how difficult is was to synchronize the calendars of one of the world's top photographers and 12 of the world's most famous models. In fact, the final models were shot two days before the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in London.

There are a few things that I appreciate about this shoot and this interpretation of "the modern pinup" that I think are worth celebrating. The first is the relative diversity. Compared with the original pinups of the 50s, the racial diversity of this shoot is positively revolutionary. This is something that Victoria's Secret has been lauded for, and they're definitely setting the bar for other fashion brands. "I really wanted to represent the diversity of the angels. Beauty is not as predictable as people might think," said Editor-in-Chief and 10 Magazine owner Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou. Including two Chinese models in this shoot feels the most exciting, considering the terrible job the media generally does offering representation of Asian women.

The avant garde style of these images also feels important and a bit transgressive — these aren't glamour shots by any means. While they all feature women in lingerie, they're not necessarily about objectifying the body or catering to the male gaze. The effects and editing done that blends them into their surroundings and distorts their body parts are artsy and bizarre. The images play with proportions and effects that render them completely captivating, but utilize the bodies more as tools for creating than objects to appreciate. While the shoot was clearly not totally inclusive (plus-sized, transgender, and disabled bodies would be welcome additions to Victoria's Secret's lineup, as well as more fashion editorials in general), this is a start to redefining the pinup. Let's not stop here, though: Let's create more art and let's include all bodies.

Images: 10 Magazine/Nick Knight