Oliviero Toscani, Italian genius.
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Today we salute one of the greatest innovators of Italian photography: Oliviero Toscani, an artist capable of revolutionizing visual communication by transforming it into a statement of style, ideas and provocation.
Born in Milan on April 18, 1942, Toscani grew up in an Italy in the midst of reconstruction, marked by a desire for rebirth and creativity.
The son of Fedele, a Corriere della Sera photojournalist, and Dolores, Oliviero lived his childhood in a stimulating environment. As he was fond of recalling, his education was not that of school desks, but was built in movie theaters as early as 8 a.m. or in the corridors of the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.
His passion for photography was passed on to him by his father, but it was when he was only 14 years old that Oliviero took his first significant shot. During Mussolini's burial in Predappio, as his father documents the event, Oliviero directs his attention to Rachele Mussolini, catching in her face the shadows of silent grief. The following day, the Corriere della Sera published the portrait. That image marks the beginning of a unique career.
“The portrait must capture the essence,” Toscani said. “When someone looks straight into the camera, they speak to you through their eyes.”
After graduating from the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich in 1965, Toscani moved to the United States.
In New York he entered the underground scene, forging friendships with the likes of Andy Warhol.
The city overwhelmed him with its creative energy, but it was the fashion of the 1970s that finally won him over.
Toscani was a style icon without wanting to be one. With his frayed jeans and the ever-present loose-fitting shirt, also very often made of denim, he represented the free and rebellious spirit of that era.
Shirts were not just an item of clothing for him, but a statement of identity. Striped, floral or monochrome, the shirts of the 1970s were symbolic of his unconventional approach: practical but full of character, just like his photographs.
In those years, Toscani did not just photograph: he immortalized the soul. Among his shots, the faces of the greatest artists and actors of the time emerged in their most human dimension. Far from exalting the “divinities” of celebrities, he managed to capture fragilities, emotions and truths.
Back in Italy, Toscani began working for fashion publications such as Elle, GQ and Vogue, bringing an innovative and rebellious aesthetic to his shots. It wasn't just the photography that spoke: his personal style also attracted attention. His passion for shirts and jeans, matched nonchalantly, told of a man who rejected convention to embrace freedom.
His advertising campaigns for brands such as Robe di Kappa and Jeans Jesus caused a sensation. A bold campaign for Jeans Jesus, for example, is famous: a photo of unbuttoned shorts worn by a girl, accompanied by Emanuele Pirella's phrases “Those who love me follow me” and “You will have no other jeans but me.” Reactions were strong and mixed, but the message was clear: fashion had to shake up and make people discuss.
In 1982 came the turning point: Toscani became the creative heart of United Colors of Benetton's advertising campaigns. Here, his photography becomes much more than a commercial tool. Toscani tackles issues such as racism, AIDS and social injustice, turning advertising into a vehicle for social reflection. Always shirtless-his trademark-Oliviero continued to challenge the world with powerful images imbued with meaning.
Oliviero Toscani was not just a photographer: he was a visual storyteller, a provocateur, an aesthete. Through his shots, he challenged stereotypes, conventions and certainties, bringing the imperfect beauty of humanity into the spotlight.
With his camera always at the ready, Toscani traversed eras and revolutions with the style of someone who was never afraid to be authentic. Today he leaves us, but his impact remains eternal.
Born in Milan on April 18, 1942, Toscani grew up in an Italy in the midst of reconstruction, marked by a desire for rebirth and creativity.
The son of Fedele, a Corriere della Sera photojournalist, and Dolores, Oliviero lived his childhood in a stimulating environment. As he was fond of recalling, his education was not that of school desks, but was built in movie theaters as early as 8 a.m. or in the corridors of the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.
His passion for photography was passed on to him by his father, but it was when he was only 14 years old that Oliviero took his first significant shot. During Mussolini's burial in Predappio, as his father documents the event, Oliviero directs his attention to Rachele Mussolini, catching in her face the shadows of silent grief. The following day, the Corriere della Sera published the portrait. That image marks the beginning of a unique career.
“The portrait must capture the essence,” Toscani said. “When someone looks straight into the camera, they speak to you through their eyes.”
After graduating from the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich in 1965, Toscani moved to the United States.
In New York he entered the underground scene, forging friendships with the likes of Andy Warhol.
The city overwhelmed him with its creative energy, but it was the fashion of the 1970s that finally won him over.
Toscani was a style icon without wanting to be one. With his frayed jeans and the ever-present loose-fitting shirt, also very often made of denim, he represented the free and rebellious spirit of that era.
Shirts were not just an item of clothing for him, but a statement of identity. Striped, floral or monochrome, the shirts of the 1970s were symbolic of his unconventional approach: practical but full of character, just like his photographs.
In those years, Toscani did not just photograph: he immortalized the soul. Among his shots, the faces of the greatest artists and actors of the time emerged in their most human dimension. Far from exalting the “divinities” of celebrities, he managed to capture fragilities, emotions and truths.
Back in Italy, Toscani began working for fashion publications such as Elle, GQ and Vogue, bringing an innovative and rebellious aesthetic to his shots. It wasn't just the photography that spoke: his personal style also attracted attention. His passion for shirts and jeans, matched nonchalantly, told of a man who rejected convention to embrace freedom.
His advertising campaigns for brands such as Robe di Kappa and Jeans Jesus caused a sensation. A bold campaign for Jeans Jesus, for example, is famous: a photo of unbuttoned shorts worn by a girl, accompanied by Emanuele Pirella's phrases “Those who love me follow me” and “You will have no other jeans but me.” Reactions were strong and mixed, but the message was clear: fashion had to shake up and make people discuss.
In 1982 came the turning point: Toscani became the creative heart of United Colors of Benetton's advertising campaigns. Here, his photography becomes much more than a commercial tool. Toscani tackles issues such as racism, AIDS and social injustice, turning advertising into a vehicle for social reflection. Always shirtless-his trademark-Oliviero continued to challenge the world with powerful images imbued with meaning.
Oliviero Toscani was not just a photographer: he was a visual storyteller, a provocateur, an aesthete. Through his shots, he challenged stereotypes, conventions and certainties, bringing the imperfect beauty of humanity into the spotlight.
With his camera always at the ready, Toscani traversed eras and revolutions with the style of someone who was never afraid to be authentic. Today he leaves us, but his impact remains eternal.