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

Fashion photographer Oliviero Toscani, known for his shocking advertising campaigns for Italian clothing brand Benetton, has died aged 82, his family has confirmed.

The former art director of the brand said that he had been suffering from amyloidosis for at least a year, a rare incurable disease that affects the body’s vital organs and nerves.

“It is with great sadness that we announce that today, January 13, 2025, our beloved Oliviero has departed on his next journey,” Tuscany’s wife Kirsty said in a post on Instagram.

Toscani was hospitalized Friday in Cecina, near his country home in Tuscany, in serious condition.

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere del Sella last year, he said he lost 40kg (88lb) unintentionally.

“I don’t know how long I have left to live, but I’m not interested in living like this anyway,” he added.

His work drew attention to social issues such as the AIDS pandemic, racism, war and the death penalty.

Paying tribute to his work, Benetton released a photo he took for the brand in 1989.

“There are simply not enough words to explain some things. You taught us this,” the press secretary said on Monday.

“Goodbye, Olivera. Keep dreaming.”

Born on February 28, 1942 in Milan, Toscani was the son of a famous Corriere photographer and studied at an art school in Zurich.

Throughout his career, he has worked for top fashion magazines including Vogue and GQ, and helped launch the modeling career of Monica Bellucci.

He photographed cultural icons such as Andy Warhol, John Lennon and Federico Fellini.

But it was during his tenure as director of Benetton, a position he held for 18 years, that he achieved global recognition.

His use of models of all races became a hallmark of the label and popularized the “United Colors of Benetton” logo, but his provocative photos sparked controversy.

Images of the blood-soaked clothes of a soldier killed in Bosnia were featured on Benetton billboards around the world.

Its naturalistic use of a photograph of David Kirby, a man dying of AIDS, also prompted a boycott of the brand.

Three identical human hearts, marked in black, white and yellow, alluded to racism in fashion, while his other ad – featuring a priest and nun kissing – was eventually banned.

He parted ways with the brand in 2000 following controversy over its last campaign, which featured images of death row inmates with the words “death row”.

He said his campaigns, which touched on topics such as human rights, religion and racism, were aimed at raising awareness of certain issues.

“I use clothes to raise social issues,” Toscani told Reuters in an interview at a time when debate raged over whether the campaign had gone too far.

“Traditional advertising says that if you buy a certain product, you will be beautiful, sexually strong, successful. None of that actually exists,” he said.

In 2007, his photo of a French model appeared Isabel Caro a fashion label’s anti-anorexia campaign made headlines.

Her gaunt face and emaciated body, ravaged by an eating disorder, were featured on billboards and in newspapers during Milan Fashion Week. The campaign coincided with growing concerns about the use of excessively thin models on the catwalk.

The image, shot for the Nolita fashion house, was banned in several countries, including Italy, but sparked a heated debate online after it went viral.

Toscani resumed work at Benetton in 2017, but three years later the group cut ties with him after he downplayed Maranda Bridge The disaster claimed the lives of 43 people.

He is survived by his wife and three children, Rock, Lola and Ali.