Oliviero Toscani: The Provocative Lens of Benetton’s Visionary Photographer Passes at 82

Oliviero Toscani, the renowned fashion photographer famous for his provocative ad campaigns for the Italian clothing brand Benetton, has passed away at the age of 82, as confirmed by his family.

The brand’s previous art director disclosed last year that he had amyloidosis, an uncommon and fatal condition affecting critical organs and nerves.

“It is with immense sadness that we share the news that today, 13 January 2025, our cherished Oliviero has begun his next adventure,” stated Toscani’s spouse Kirsti in an Instagram post.

On Friday, Toscani was hospitalized in Cecina, close to his home in Tuscany, in a serious state.

In a discussion with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera last year, he mentioned that he had unintentionally shed 40kg (88lb).

“I have no idea how much longer I have to live, but I’m uninterested in living like this anyway,” he added.

His work highlighted social issues, including the Aids pandemic, racism, conflict, and the death penalty.

In honor of his contributions, Benetton released a photograph he had captured for the brand in 1989.

“In light of clarifying certain matters, words alone will not suffice. You showed us that,” a representative stated on Monday.

“Goodbye Oliviero. Continue dreaming.”

Toscani was born on 28 February 1942 in Milan, the son of a distinguished Corriere photographer, and attended art school in Zurich.

Over the course of his career, he collaborated with prestigious fashion magazines such as Vogue and GQ, and aided in launching the career of model Monica Bellucci.

He captured the likenesses of cultural icons like Andy Warhol, John Lennon, and Federico Fellini.

His pivotal role as director at Benetton, a position he retained for 18 years, garnered him global acclaim.

His approach of incorporating models from diverse backgrounds became synonymous with the brand and popularized the “United Colors of Benetton” logo, yet his daring photographs sparked controversy.

Pictures of the blood-stained garments of a soldier slain in Bosnia were displayed on Benetton billboards globally.

His vivid employment of a photo featuring David Kirby, a man succumbing to AIDS, also incited a boycott against the brand.

Three similar human hearts marked black, white, and yellow suggested the prejudice in fashion, while another of his ads – showcasing a priest and nun embracing – was ultimately prohibited.

He severed connections with the brand in 2000 after conflicts regarding his final campaign, which displayed visuals of condemned prisoners, captioned “sentenced to death.”

He has expressed that his promotions, which addressed themes like human rights, faith, and racism, aimed to increase awareness regarding specific concerns.

“I utilize clothing to highlight societal matters,” Toscani told Reuters in an interview at the time, as discussions ignited over whether the campaign had crossed a line.

“Conventional advertising claims that if you purchase a certain item, you will be attractive, sexually potent, successful. None of that truly exists,” he stated.

In 2007, his photograph of French model Isabelle Caro for a fashion label’s anti-anorexia initiative garnered attention.

Her gaunt features and skeletal physique, devastated by the eating disorder, were showcased on billboards and in newspapers throughout Milan fashion week. The campaign coincided with a growing concern regarding the representation of excessively thin models on runways.

The image, taken for fashion brand Nolita, was banned in multiple countries including Italy, but ignited intense debate online after becoming viral.

Toscani reinstated his collaboration with Benetton in 2017, but three years later, the group severed connections with him after he downplayed the importance of the Morandi Bridge calamity which claimed 43 lives.

He is survived by his spouse and three offspring Rocco, Lola, and Ali.