PICS: Florence Pugh and Annie Leibovitz bring Jaguar’s bold new era to life - IOL

Florence Pugh and legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz join forces with Jaguar to bring the brand’s bold new era to life, with the striking Type 01 taking centre stage.

Jaguar is continuing to redefine its identity, bringing together Hollywood star Florence Pugh and renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz in a creative collaboration that puts individuality, artistic expression and bold design in the spotlight.

Following the announcement of Pugh as the luxury carmaker’s inaugural brand ambassador for its new era, Jaguar has unveiled a striking portrait series by Leibovitz, featuring the actor alongside its new Type 01.

The collaboration brings together three distinctive creative forces, each representing a different expression of originality and fearless artistry.

Jaguar is rewriting its luxury playbook, and it has called on two creative powerhouses to help tell the story. Actor Florence Pugh and photographer Annie Leibovitz

Jaguar brings together Florence Pugh and Annie Leibovitz for a creative collaboration exploring individuality, confidence and fearless design.

Pugh, known for her individuality and confident approach, becomes the face of Jaguar’s transformed identity, while Leibovitz brings her unmistakable photographic style to a campaign exploring creativity, ambition and self-expression.

Rather than simply using the vehicle as a backdrop, Leibovitz approached the Type 01 as a subject in its own right, capturing the relationship between the actor and the car as two distinct characters.

“What interested me most about this portrait series was photographing two extraordinary and contrasting subjects. Florence brings warmth, presence and humanity, while Type 01 is sculpted, precise and striking in its form,” Leibovitz said.

“Rather than treating the car as a backdrop, I wanted to photograph them both with the same curiosity, exploring their relationship as two distinct characters within the frame.”

For Pugh, the partnership was a natural fit.

“I've always been drawn to people and brands that are unapologetically original, which is one of the reasons this partnership with Jaguar feels so natural,” she said.

“Collaborating with Annie Leibovitz on these images was a remarkable experience. She has an incredible ability to capture character and individuality, and bringing that together with the bold vision of Type 01 made this a truly special creative collaboration.”

The project also carries a creative connection to New York's artistic history. The collaboration follows the world premiere of Type 01 at STORIED, a venue that once housed Leibovitz's photography studio.

Jaguar also used the occasion to highlight emerging creative talent, commissioning photographer Frankie Aldino, a mentee of Leibovitz who was personally recommended by her, to photograph attending talent and guests at the event.

The dual commission reflects the brand's ambition to create opportunities for emerging artists while celebrating established creative voices.

Carlee Hardaker, Jaguar's marketing and communications director, said the collaboration was designed to reflect the creative vision behind the brand's new era.

“Florence Pugh is the face of our new era. Annie Leibovitz is the lens. Together, they capture the fearless creative vision that defines Jaguar today,” Hardaker said.

At the centre of the collaboration is the Type 01, a luxury grand tourer that represents a significant departure from convention while drawing inspiration from Jaguar's design heritage.

Developed from a blank sheet of paper, the vehicle features distinctive proportions, including a low roofline, elongated bonnet, sleek silhouette and dramatic presence.

Jaguar describes it as the most technologically advanced and powerful vehicle in its history, with design influences that connect it to iconic models such as the E-type and XJS.

Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, the Type 01 forms part of Jaguar's wider transformation as it looks to establish a new identity in the luxury automotive space.

For South African motoring enthusiasts, the wait continues, with Jaguar confirming that details of the Type 01's local launch timing will be communicated in due course.