Summary
- Annie Leibovitz photographs Florence Pugh with the Jaguar Type 01.
- The series combines portraiture, architecture and automotive imagery.
- Three different compositions reveal her lighting and direction.
- The photographs accompany a new chapter for Jaguar.
Annie Leibovitz photographs Florence Pugh alongside the new electric Jaguar Type 01, turning an automotive campaign into a carefully directed meeting of portraiture, fashion and architecture.
Unveiled by Jaguar on November 5, 2026, the series pairs Pugh, the first ambassador of the brand’s new era, with a four-door grand tourer that signals a major change in its design identity.
Two subjects sharing the frame
Leibovitz says she did not want the car to serve merely as a backdrop for a famous actor. She approached Pugh and the Type 01 as two distinct characters: the actor’s warmth and human presence against the vehicle’s precise, sculpted lines. That approach is evident across the pictures.
In the outdoor portrait, Pugh leans against the silver bodywork, wearing dark leather. Large concrete structures echo the car’s angular geometry, while the actor gives the scene a human center. The restrained, dark palette focuses attention on pose and shape.
A portrait inside the car
The second photograph looks into the cabin from outside. Pugh sits low in the seat, her face subtly lit within the shadowed interior. The steering wheel, seats and window frames create layered shapes around her portrait.
Rather than a conventional automotive interior photograph showing every feature clearly, this picture lets much of the cabin fall into shadow. Her expression and pose lead the image. Architecture visible through the window links this scene to the rest of the series.
A black-and-white photograph reveals the studio
The third image shifts to black and white. Pugh stands beside the open car door in glossy black clothing, while the Jaguar extends across almost the entire frame. This picture also shows something advertising photography often conceals: the studio backdrops and the construction of the image itself.
Reflections on the clothing, metallic body panels and glass underline the importance of lighting control. Black and silver remain distinct through tonal separation rather than strong color.
A launch with a photographic connection
The Type 01 world premiere in New York was linked to STORIED, a venue that once housed Leibovitz’s studio. Photographer Frankie Aldino, whom Leibovitz had mentored and personally recommended, photographed talent and guests at the event. Credits include styling by Rebecca Corbin Murray, hair by Shon Ju and make-up by Alex Babsky. Backstage photography is credited to Kathryn MacLeod.
The campaign continues Leibovitz’s long-standing approach to building an image around people, setting and direction. In her recent Vanity Fair New Establishment portraits, each subject was placed in a distinct environment with a different narrative purpose.
Jaguar Type 01 and the brand’s next chapter
The Type 01 is an all-electric, four-door luxury GT built on the new Jaguar Electric Architecture. Its low roofline, long front end and dramatic proportions define its visual character. According to the UK announcement, orders are expected to open in early 2027, with UK prices starting at £130,000.
What we think
What makes this series appealing is that Leibovitz is not simply placing an actor beside an expensive car. Each frame needs to accommodate two very different subjects without allowing one to swallow the other. She finds a different solution in each photograph.
The outdoor image works through architecture and proportion, the cabin portrait through shadow and layers, and the black-and-white frame reveals the photographic set itself. For those of us who photograph people or products, that variety is useful: every image in a campaign does not need to follow the same formula.
The black-and-white picture is especially interesting because the studio is allowed to remain visible. It is still a meticulously staged photograph, but the construction becomes part of the result rather than something to hide. That choice gives the image personality beyond its technical polish.
