Oliviero Toscani, Benetton’s shock photographer, has died on the age of 82

Fashion photographer Oliviero Toscani, identified for his shock promoting campaigns for Italian clothes model Benetton, has died on the age of 82, his household confirmed.

The model’s former creative director revealed final yr that he was affected by amyloidosis, a uncommon incurable situation that impacts the physique’s important organs and nerves.

“It is with nice sorrow that we announce the information that immediately, January 13, 2025, our beloved Oliviero has launched into his subsequent journey,” Toscani’s spouse Kirsti stated in an Instagram submit.

Toscani was admitted to hospital in Cecina, close to his Tuscan countryside residence, in critical situation on Friday.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere del Sella final yr he stated he had involuntarily misplaced 40kg (88lb) of weight.

“I do not know the way lengthy I’ve left to dwell, however I’m not fascinated about dwelling like this anyway,” he added.

His work has drawn consideration to social points, such because the AIDS pandemic, racism, struggle and the loss of life penalty.

As a tribute to his work, Benetton has printed {a photograph} taken for the model in 1989.

“Words aren’t sufficient to clarify sure issues. You taught us that,” a spokesperson stated on Monday.

“Goodbye Oliviero. Keep dreaming.”

Born on 28 February 1942 in Milan, Toscani was the son of a well known Corriere photographer and attended artwork faculty in Zurich.

Throughout his profession, he has labored for main style magazines together with Vogue and GQ and helped launch the profession of mannequin Monica Bellucci.

He photographed cultural icons comparable to Andy Warhol, John Lennon and Federico Fellini.

But it was throughout his tenure as director of Benetton, a place he held for 18 years, that allowed him to realize worldwide recognition.

His use of fashions of all races grew to become the label’s calling card and popularized the “United Colors of Benetton” emblem, however his provocative photographs sparked controversy.

Images of the blood-soaked clothes of a soldier killed in Bosnia have appeared on Benetton billboards world wide.

Its graphic use of a photograph depicting David Kirby, a person dying of AIDS, additionally prompted a boycott of the model.

Three equivalent human hearts labeled black, white and yellow alluded to trendy racism, whereas one other of its adverts – depicting a priest and nun kissing – was finally banned.

He parted methods with the model in 2000 following controversy over his newest marketing campaign, which featured pictures of prisoners on loss of life row, with the caption “sentenced to loss of life”.

He stated his campaigns, which touched on matters comparable to human rights, faith and racism, have been designed to lift consciousness of sure points.

“I take advantage of clothes to lift social points,” Toscani informed Reuters in an interview on the time, as debate erupted over whether or not the marketing campaign had gone too far.

“Traditional promoting says that if you happen to purchase a sure product, you may be lovely, sexually highly effective, profitable. None of that truly exists,” he stated.

In 2007 her picture as a French mannequin Isabella Caro why a style model’s anti-anorexia marketing campaign made headlines.

Her gaunt face and emaciated physique, ravaged by the consuming dysfunction, appeared on billboards and in newspapers throughout Milan Fashion Week. The marketing campaign coincided with rising concern about the usage of excessively skinny fashions on the catwalk.

The picture, taken for style home Nolita, was banned in a number of international locations together with Italy, however sparked a heated debate on-line after it went viral.

Toscani resumed working for Benetton in 2017, however three years later the group reduce ties with him after he downplayed the significance of the Morandi Bridge catastrophe that killed 43 folks.

He leaves behind his spouse and three kids Rocco, Lola and Ali.