Oliviero Toscani: The Maverick Visionary Behind Benetton’s Controversial Campaigns

The artist Oliviero Toscani, renowned for his advertising campaigns for Benetton, passed away on January 13. Throughout his career, he presented clichés laden with provocation while emphasizing the world’s diversity, along with the inequalities and distress that exist within it. This revisits his legacy of reshaping the conventions of visual communication.

 

“Commercial photography ought not to be about selling a product, but rather an idea,” stated Oliviero Toscani. This philosophy encapsulates his photographic journey. Born in 1942 in Milan to a father who was a photographer, he honed his craft on the streets of New York, capturing images of urban life. In 1976, he launched the campaign Les contemporains for designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

 

Upon joining Benetton in 1982, his trajectory experienced a significant shift. He accepted the challenge to convey a message. Racism, inclusivity, capital punishment, HIV, religion, and the plight of women… a genuine social manifesto. Praised by progressives and disparaged by critics, the artist’s provocative campaigns for Benetton elevated the Italian brand’s image into an uncharted territory for the fashion industry at that time.

 

Inclusivity and Diversity, a Central Theme for Oliviero Toscani

 

For the fall-winter 1984 collection, Oliviero Toscani launched his first campaign titled «All the colors of the world». The photography indeed nods to the vibrant tones of the Italian label yet serves as a symbol of diversity, celebrating various cultures. Set against a white backdrop, individuals of all ethnicities are photographed wearing Christmas sweaters, amidst hugs and smiles.

 

The 1989 winter campaign, named “Breastfeeding,” portrays a black woman nursing a white infant. Beyond illustrating diversity, this image promotes a form of feminism at a time when women’s natural breasts face restrictions on social media, and mothers are often compelled to find privacy to breastfeed in public. For the following season, two “Children on the pot” were pictured.

 

 

Liberation, released in 1993, presented 56 images of individuals from diverse genders, shapes, and colors. Although the decade was characterized by chic pornography and hypersexualization in fashion, Benetton opted to portray genitalia openly, continuously striving for inclusivity and diversity. Likewise, in 1996, the “Heart” campaign showcased three human hearts labeled “white,” “black,” and “yellow.”

 

In 1992, the “Albinos” campaign featured an albino woman from a Zulu tribe in South Africa during a virgin girl ceremony. The artist also advocates for equitable justice with a 1989 depiction of two men, one black and the other white, handcuffed, emphasizing that everyone deserves equal treatment in a courtroom.

 

The Unity of Religions

 

In 1986, the photographer showcased a young Muslim and a young Jewish individual. These two friends, transcending religious boundaries, hold a globe together. The same world. A motif that continues to resonate as a tribute to friendship and cohabitation, irrespective of individual faiths.

 

 

One of Oliviero Toscani’s most prominent campaigns is none other than «Priest and Nun», launched for the fall-winter 1991 season. Two religious figures are depicted sharing a gentle kiss, an image that stunned both the Church and the Catholic community and simultaneously garnered significant attention for Benetton. As some communicators assert: be it in favorable or unfavorable light, what matters is that the brand remains a topic of discussion.

 

 

Another depiction of HIV

 

In 1993, Oliviero Toscani confronts HIV, which is ravaging numerous lives. Featuring a buttock marked with the label «HIV Positive», the image of the same title ignites controversy. The piece even finds itself at the center of a lawsuit following a complaint by individuals living with HIV, accusing Benetton of infringing upon “human dignity”.

 

 

Representing “Priest and Nun”, the photograph “Aids, David Kirby” symbolizes Benetton’s advertising, consistently addressing the issue of AIDS. Captured by Therese Frare and utilized by the brand, the image portrays the final moments of David Kirby, ill and on his deathbed, with his family surrounding him in 1990. A profoundly touching image.

 

The message over the product

 

In 1991, the artist once again captured the image of an infant for the campaign «le Nouveau-né». Featuring a newborn still linked by the umbilical cord and held by a physician, the photograph aims to be raw and prioritize the message over the product.

 

“I despise artistic photography…” The image transforms into art when it elicits a response in us, be it intrigue, curiosity, or attentiveness” – Oliviero Toscani

 

The Milanese photographer departed from Benetton in 2001, leaving a 20-year legacy that shaped the fashion house’s identity and, more broadly, the narrative of advertising. His images will serve, as he intended, to instigate discussions and promote contemplation on societal and social issues. Never before has a brand highlighted the afflictions of our world while also celebrating love and cohabitation.

 

Oliviero Toscani passed away on January 13 at the age of 82.

 

Read also: Mathieu Lehanneur unveils his new Carte Blanche for Christie’s

 

Featured photo: © Oliviero Toscani – Benetton