Oliviero Toscani - Photographer

[VogueGirl8910]

Oliviero Toscani (born 1942) is an Italian photographer, best-known worldwide for designing controversial advertising campaigns for Italian brand Benetton, from 1982 to 2000. Most of these advertising campaigns were actually institutionals for the brand, always composed of rather controversial photography, usually with only the company logo "United Colors of Benetton" as caption.
One of his most famous campaigns included a photo (by Therese Frare) of David Kirby dying of AIDS, lying in a Columbus, Ohio, hospital bed, surrounded by his grieving relatives. That picture was controversial due to its similarity to a pieta painting and because some thought the use of this image to sell clothing was exploiting the victim; though the Kirby family stated that they authorized the use and that it helped increase AIDS awareness.
Other ads included allusions to racism (notably one with three almost identical human hearts, which were actually pig hearts, with the words 'white', 'black', and 'yellow' as captions), war, religion and even capital punishment.
In the early nineties Toscani co-founded the magazine Colors (also owned by Benetton) with American graphic designer Tibor Kalman. With the tagline "a magazine about the rest of the world", Colors built on the multiculturalism prevalent at that time and in Benetton's ad campaigns, while remaining editorially independent from Benetton.
In 2005, five years after his resignation from Benetton following the controversy surrounding the death row campaign, he sparked controversy again with his photographs for an advertising campaign for the men's clothing brand 'Ra-Re'. Their portrayals of men participating in homosexual behaviour angered groups such as the Catholic parents' association Movimento Italiano Genitori who called the pictures 'vulgar'. The campaign came amidst on-going debate in Italy about gay rights.
Oliviero Toscani unsuccessfully stood as a candidate for parliament for the new Rose in the Fist party in the Italian general election held on April 9 and 10, 2006.
In September 2007, a new campaign against anorexia was again controversial due to his shocking photography of an emaciated woman (Isabelle Caro).
He is creating with La Regione Toscana a new research facility for modern communication called 'La Sterpia'.

en.wikipedia.org

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Elle France December 10th, 1984 (Cover)
Models & star: Yasmin Le Bon, Ashley Richardson, Tatjana Patitz, unknown & Christopher Lambert


yasminlebon.net

 

[VogueGirl8910]

US Vogue May 1985
"Engaging Options in Casual Dressing"
Models: Ashley Richardson, Yasmin Le Bon, Karen Alexander, Cindy Crawford & unknown
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


same source as above via hfgl

 

[VogueGirl8910]

1984
Model/star: Madonna
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


madonnashots.com

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Official website
http://www.olivierotoscani.com/

 

[VogueGirl8910]

More Elle Covers

(US) September 1987: Karen Alexander, Jennifer Gimenez, Jeanette Hallen & Norma Spierings
(France) August 15th, 1988: Claudia Schiffer, Alisson, Monica Bellucci, Roberta Chirko & Veronica Webb


topfashionmodel.net & facebook/moda scans via Spiral1532

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Some ads of Benetton


abelgalois.wordpress.com



mezclacultural.blogspot.com

 

[VogueGirl8910]

The man himself


blog.panorama.it

 

[VogueGirl8910]

More Benetton's ads



buyyoursmile.com

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Continued




same source as above

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Continued




same source as above

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Kenzo Spring/Summer 1981
Models: Unknown


styleregistry.livejournal.com

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Vogue Italia February 1972
"Bang! La Maglia di Lana"
Model: Donna Jordan
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


Vogue Italia October 1973
Model: Unknown
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


ciaovogue.com

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Vogue Italia October 1973
"Guadagna Punti La Maglia"
Models: Ann Schaufuss, Christiana Steidten & unknown
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


"Il Fascino Vi Prende Nelle Sue Maglie"
Models: Ann Schaufuss & Christiana Steidten
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


same source as above

 

[VogueGirl8910]

Vogue Italia July/August 1976
"Gambe Nuove e Molte Mode Noi Vogliam Vedere"
Models: Tina Chow, Gunilla Lindblad, Jane Thorvaldson, Kathy Quirk, Alva Chinn,Yvonne Sporre & unknown
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


same source as above

 

[VogueGirl8910]

UK Vogue December 1975
Model: Willy VanRooy
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


UK Vogue November 1975
"Vogue's Best Buys: 'A Highland Fling'"
Model: Unknown
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


same source as above

 

[VogueGirl8910]

UK Vogue October 15th, 1975
"Vogue's Eye View: 'What the Country Can Do for You'"
Model: Unknown
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


UK Vogue October 1st, 1975
"New Raincoats"
Model: Eva Maelstrom
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


same source as above

 

[VogueGirl8910]

UK Vogue Covers

March 1976: Unknown
September 1975: Margaux Hemingway
March 1975: Unknown & Aurore Clement
February 1975: Unknown


vogue.co.uk

 

[VogueGirl8910]

UK Vogue October 1st, 1974: Denise Hopkins by Oliviero Toscani


"Shine Please"
Models: Denise Hopkins & Karen Bjornson
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


ciaovogue

 

[VogueGirl8910]

UK Vogue February 1975
Models: Jane Goodard, Denise Hopkins & Unknown
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


UK Vogue July 1974
Model: Karen Bjornson
Photographer: Oliviero Toscani


ciaovogue