2010 Lavazza calendar hits a musical note

It has become quite a tradition in the international coffee trade to look forward to the annual Lavazza

For once, this is a project which lives up to the hype. It is no exaggeration to say that Lavazza's glossy and expensively-produced piece of annual work is always awaited with interest, and when each edition appears, it really does get reviewed in the style magazines and other 'cool' forums.

In spite of the effort and cost which goes into it, the calendar is not available to the public - it is a limited-edition item and to have one on an office wall in the beverage trade is regarded as a considerable perk.

However, the images are later put out to a wider audience, as they generally form the basis of Lavazza's next advertising campaign, which usually uses large poster sites and the walls of the London underground.

The Lavazza calendar always features a renowned photographer and models who are famous from the world of fashion.

This year's photographer is a British one, Miles Aldridge, and his theme is to illustrate ‘The Italian Espresso Experience' through Italian music. In this, he has illustrated six well-known Italian songs, such as Nessun Dorma and O Sole Mio, shown in what the photographer calls a 'future retro' style.

The models are Bianca Balti, Lydia Hearst, Georgia Frost, Daisy Lowe, Alexandra Tomlinson and Alek Alexeyeva, all of whom have featured in Vogue and similar magazines.

Lavazza has confirmed that their pictures will form the basis of a multi million pound UK promotional campaign, to begin in January.

By Ian Boughton