Top models reveal their motives for stripping off in Pirelli calendar

Gigi Hadid, 19

"To do something like the Pirelli calendar is amazing because of the teams that have worked on it in the past, and this year, I got really lucky to be able to work with Steven Meisel and Carine Roitfeld.

Carine is like my godmother in fashion. She has been such a great influence on my career and has become a mentor to me. I felt like a superhero in my outfit, and that's the energy I brought to my picture, I felt powerful and like a lady boss. The latex shorts were weird to wear and they're hard to get on, but once you're in latex is very easy to move in and you feel like you're not wearing anything.

It was my first time working with Steven. He is such a legend and myth in fashion as no one really knows anything about him. When you walk in you're kind of holding your breath. But he's the kindest, most easy going photographer I've ever worked with. Every three shots he's like, 'Do you want a break? Do you want food?'

He knows what he wants and will say, 'Ok, this is what we're doing' and if I'm standing up for a while he'll ask if I want to take a nap. Then he'll say, 'Let's change this and then you do that…' and before you know it he has the shot and it's done. It's so quick."

Carolyn Murphy, 40

"This is the third time I've done the calendar. The last time I did it was '98, so it's been a long time. I was shocked when they asked me to do it this year. It's a huge honour to be a part of it especially at 40 years old.

I think it's very important that it's not just the stereotypical tits and ass, and there is plenty of that, but the way that Steven captured it was a little bit more intellectual. All of the girls are very different shapes, sizes, ethnicities and ages.

My picture isn't overt, there's nothing for me to be ashamed of, I think even if it were more overt I still wouldn't be ashamed of it because the female body is amazing and that's what we're celebrating.

I know when I'm in the hands of these photographers that it's going to be beautiful and I know that the interpretation won't ever be that vulgar. For this one I thought, 'Oh wow fun! I'm kind of this cyber military 80s girl.' I'm not a pin-up girl, my breasts aren't pushed up to my chin - not that I have any left - but it wasn't so in your face, which is what I liked about it.

Steven runs a shoot like clockwork, it's very seamless. I had Dionne Warwick's Walk On By playing, it was very mellow. I felt very playful and he just kept saying, 'Play, Murphy, you're killing me Murphy, my God Murphy!' We were just having fun."

Adriana Lima, 33

"This is my third time being in the calendar, the last time was 2013 when I was pregnant with my daughter.

It was great to be working with Steven Meisel, he's such an unbelievable photographer, he's different and he's number one in the world. When you arrive at the studio he has the ability to make you feel calm and so you give your best in the pictures.

His lighting is different, it's very cinematographic. I really loved the calendar this year, it has a little bit of a retro 70s pin-up feel, but it's still modern.

I love working with Carine, she's a very talented woman. I was so happy with my latex outfit! I love it! I'm sorry! We're making art, it's not like you're going to be walking around the street with latex on. It's art you know? That's how I see it.

The whole calendar is beautiful. I like it: it's about women, it's about being comfortable in your own skin, secure and confident of yourself.

For me the Pirelli Calendar stands for women: embracing themselves, embracing their body, being comfortable and strong."

Isabeli Fontana, 31

"Steven's very particular, he wants to make every person he shoots the most beautiful possible. He wants you as a diva, as a beautiful character and every single thing has to be in the right place.

He puts so much energy into it. There's very loud music playing and when he's shooting he's saying things like 'Yeah, feel free, yeah.'

When he sees the target, he makes you do maybe one small movement and then he takes pictures and within ten minutes it's done. You have to feel it like he feels it, it's not just a simple picture, it has to be the most.

Working with people like him makes you feel that you want to please that person, because they know everything and what works, and what is interesting. It's crazy, but he's an artist.

I don't always feel so comfortable showing my body, which is weird because I've been a model since I was 14 years old! But I still don't like to show my breasts, especially when you're poising and people are looking at you, and you're thinking 'Oh, my body needs to look good.' It's not easy, but you have to give as much as possible, even if you're not feeling comfortable. We do everything for a picture, basically!

This business is for crazy people, but I love it, I don't know how to do anything else. I'm just crazy about fashion, it should be fun, it should be something you enjoy the most."

Candice Huffine, 30

"I didn't think this was ever going to happen for me, I didn't put this on my career bucket list because it's so at the top, it's so elite and special and iconic and an institution in its own right.

Everyone knows what the Pirelli calendar is. We were not let in on the artistic process before the shoot, but you trust your team. If Steven Meisel is shooting, you know it can never be anything less than amazing.

I'd worked with the whole team before so on set I felt really at home, comfortable, excited… Everyone's doing their thing together and then in the final moments you bring your part to the table. It's fun.

When I saw the corset I thought, 'That's hot.' Literally and figuratively. Latex is quite warm. Very warm but sexy, you feel good immediately, you feel everything that the Pirelli calendar is supposed to make you feel. I put that bad boy on and I was ready to go. You just know what you're there for, you know what to do.

The exciting thing about the calendar is that it celebrates the woman in all shapes and forms. When you love your body and you're proud of it you feel OK to strip down. You feel really sexy and that you're embracing everything that a female body should be and you want to show the world how happy you are. I think of it as a celebration. I'm a model, this is fashion. I'm owning this, let's do it, let's celebrate this. Let's show them something different."