Oliviero Toscani, the creative force behind the provocative advertising campaigns that helped make Benetton a global clothing powerhouse, has died at the age of 82. His family released a statement confirming his passing.
Toscani was admitted to a hospital in Cecina, near his home in Tuscany, on Friday in critical condition, and it was reported that he had lost consciousness by Saturday.
In a heartfelt message, Toscani’s wife, Kirsti, and their three children shared the sad news, stating that he had passed away on January 13, 2025, and had begun his “next journey.”
In an interview in August, Oliviero Toscani revealed that he had been diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare and incurable disease that causes amyloid proteins to accumulate in vital organs. He shared that he had lost 40 kilograms (88 pounds) in just one year, and the newspaper published an image of him appearing frail and unwell.
Born on February 28, 1942, Toscani followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a photographer, studying in Zurich, and working for various fashion magazines. He played a significant role in launching the careers of models like Monica Bellucci.
Toscani gained international recognition in the 1980s when he became the creative director for Benetton, the family-owned fashion brand from northern Italy. He was known for using bold and controversial imagery in his campaigns, including a dying AIDS patient and the bloodied clothing of a soldier killed in Bosnia. These shocking images, which appeared on billboards worldwide, generated widespread debate and contributed to the global success of the “United Colors of Benetton” campaign.
Oliviero Toscani left Benetton in 2000 following controversy surrounding a campaign that featured images of US prisoners on death row.
In collaboration with American freelance journalist Ken Shulman, Toscani interviewed and photographed 26 inmates awaiting execution in US prisons. The resulting campaign served as a powerful statement against capital punishment.
In a 2000 interview, Oliviero Toscani defended his approach to advertising, saying he used clothing as a platform to highlight social issues. He criticized traditional advertising for promoting unrealistic ideas of beauty, power, and success, calling it “bullshit.”
Toscani returned to work with Benetton in 2017, rekindling his collaboration with Luciano Benetton, one of the company’s founders, who was aiming to revive the brand as it struggled against more agile competitors in the fast fashion industry.
However, in 2020, Benetton severed ties with Toscani after he made controversial remarks downplaying the significance of the 2018 Morandi Bridge collapse in Genoa, which claimed 43 lives. At the time, the bridge was managed by Atlantia, a company controlled by the Benetton family.
In 2024, Toscani’s work was featured in an exhibition titled “Photography and Provocation” at the Museum fur Gestaltung in Zurich.