Farewell to Oliviero Toscani, the Italian photographer died at 82
The famous photographer, known for his historic collaboration with the Italian company Benetton and for his works capable of stimulating profound reflections in public opinion, passed away after a long illness.
Oliviero Toscani, born in Milan in 1942, is an internationally renowned Italian photographer, known for his provocative and innovative advertising campaigns. Son of the first photojournalist of the “Corriere della Sera”, he studied photography and graphics at the University of the Arts in Zurich from 1961 to 1965.
His career is characterized by collaborations with prestigious magazines such as “Elle”, “Vogue”, “L’Uomo Vogue” and “Harper’s Bazaar”. However, it is his long collaboration with Benetton, which began in 1982, that established him as an innovator in the field of visual communication. His campaigns address sensitive social issues, including racism, AIDS and the death penalty, using powerful images to stimulate deep reflections.
Among his most famous works, the “United Colors of Benetton” campaign marked a turning point in advertising, integrating social messages with marketing strategies. An emblematic example is the photograph of three identical human hearts, labeled with the words “white,” “black,” and “yellow,” to emphasize racial equality.
In 1993, Toscani co-founded the magazine “Colors”, together with the American designer Tibor Kalman. The publication is distinguished by its multicultural approach and attention to global issues, further consolidating Toscani’s reputation as a visionary communicator.
After a break from collaborating with Benetton, in 2018 Toscani returned to work with the brand, continuing to challenge conventions and promote messages of inclusivity and tolerance through his imagery.
