Title: Farewell to Controversial Photographer Oliviero Toscani, Creator of Scandalous Benetton Ads, at 82
On January 13, 2025, the world mourned the loss of Oliviero Toscani, a celebrated Italian photographer and advertising visionary. The news of his demise came as a shock, with his family announcing his passing in a heartfelt statement, describing him as embarking on his next journey.
Toscani, born on February 28, 1942, was no stranger to the limelight. Inspired by his father, Fedele Toscani, a renowned photojournalist for Corriere della Sera, the young Oliviero studied photography at the Zurich University of the Arts and began his career as a promising advertising photographer.
His talent skyrocketed, and he found himself working for major fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar. However, it was his collaboration with Benetton, the Italian clothing brand, that truly catapulted him into the spotlight. Serving as the brand's art director from 1982 to 2000 and again from 2018 until 2020, Toscani's campaigns brought societal issues into the forefront of advertising.
Toscani's campaigns with Benetton shook the world, tackling sensitive topics such as AIDS, war, and racial diversity. One of his most controversial campaigns featured the image of an AIDS sufferer, David Kirby, on his deathbed, sparking a backlash from AIDS activists dotting the globe. Toscani defendingly maintained that companies carry a responsibility to display social intelligence and sensitivity.
Toscani's Benetton campaigns were not without their detractors. His use of racially diverse models and his trademark "United Colors of Benetton" logo were both lauded for pushing boundaries in advertising and criticized for politicizing fabric sales.
In 2000, following the furor over a campaign featuring US death row prisoners, Toscani left Benetton. However, he returned to the fold in 2017, partnering once more with Luciano Benetton, one of the company's founders, to revive the brand that had lost its footing to nimble competitors in the fast-fashion industry.
His partnership, however, was short-lived, as Benetton severed ties with him in 2020 following his comments about the Morandi Bridge disaster, which claimed 43 lives in Genoa. Despite these setbacks, Toscani continued to push boundaries in photography and advocacy, showcasing his work in a Zurich exhibition entitled "Photography and Provocation" in 2024.
In late 2024, Toscani revealed that he was suffering from amyloidosis, a rare and incurable condition that affects vital organs, causing him to lose an alarming 40 kilograms in a year. Caught in the icy grasp of the disease, Toscani passed away at the age of 82.
Though Oliviero Toscani's passing marked the end of an era, his revolutionary advertising campaigns and lasting impact on the world of photography will continue to inspire. His work forces us to confront societal issues, challenging our perceptions and confronting uncomfortable realities. His legacy lives on, as does his passion for raising awareness and provoking critical thinking.
Toscani's unique style and innovative fashion approach in his advertising campaigns, particularly with Benetton, became renowned worldwide. His uncanny ability to blend fashion and social issues set new trends in the advertising industry, influencing many upcoming artists.
