Renowned for Provocative Benetton Campaigns and Social Commentary
Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani passed away on Monday at the Cecina Hospital in Tuscany, at the age of 82. Two years prior to his death, he revealed his battle with amyloidosis. Born in Milan on February 28, 1942, Toscani had a remarkable career that spanned several decades and collaborations with iconic magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Esquire. He also partnered with notable brands like Chanel, Missoni, Valentino, and Fiorucci.
However, Toscani’s icollective memory is often tied to his groundbreaking work with the United Colors of Benetton during the 1980s and 1990s, where he created memorable ad campaigns. His daring approach allowed him to pioneer conversations about the AIDS crisis, homosexuality, racism, and the death penalty through his work.
His iconic images, including the explicit image of a priest and nun sharing a sensual kiss or the controversial portrayal of French model Isabelle Caro suffering from anorexia for a Nolita campaign, left an indelible mark on viewers and society.
Notable personalities like Mick Jagger, Federico Fellini, Carmelo Bene, and Lou Reed were both subjects and friends of Toscani. His work with cultural icons and the creation of iconic images like the “Chi mi ama, mi segua [Those who love me, follow me]” slogan displayed on model Donna Jordan for the Jesus Jeans campaign showcase his creative range. Toscani’s portrait of a young African boy with different colored eyes also reportedly inspired famous musician David Bowie for his song “Black Tie, White Noise.”
Due to his provocative style, several of Toscani’s Benetton ads were banned in various countries and magazines over time. In addition to his advertising work, Toscani launched Colors magazine in 1991 and founded Fabrica, Benetton’s think tank, in 1994. He returned to work with Benetton in 2017, after 17 years away, when Luciano Benetton chose to lead the family company again. During this period, Toscani crafted an ad campaign featuring a multiracial group of children in a primary school class.
However, his relationship with Benetton ended abruptly in 2020 following his commentary on the tragic Morandi Bridge collapse of 2018, for which a Benetton company was allegedly involved. Despite this, Toscani had previously defended the Benettons, claiming they were victims of a slanderous campaign.
In a personal exhibit at Milan’s Whitelight Art Gallery in 2017, titled “Oliviero Toscani. Più di 50 anni di magnifici fallimenti [More than 50 years of magnificent failures]”, a special area was set aside for Toscani’s “Razza Umana [Human Race]” project, which began in 2007. This project saw Toscani capturing 40 portraits of individuals in an effort to explore their unique stories.
“The photo tells a story, and reveals what you can’t understand about these people,” Toscani stated. “My goal is the research of an individual story. Photos with top models are appreciated because they’re empty, so perfect. The aesthetics is mediocrity.”