Italian
The great photographer passed away at 82 years old
Oliviero Toscani has left us. He was 82 years old and had been suffering from a rare disease, amyloidosis, which was essentially incurable. In an interview this summer, he had revealed to the world his health condition, expressly stating that a life marked by that kind of disease that offered him no escape no longer interested him: “death does not scare me,” he declared.
Oliviero Toscani died at the hospital in Cecina, in the province of Livorno, where he had been hospitalized for a few days and his condition had appeared very serious from the beginning.
An advertising terrorist
“An advertising terrorist” he loved to call himself. Creative, against the grain, with a past as a photojournalist before moving into fashion by associating his name with a Benetton brand, raising awareness on strong issues such as AIDS, poverty, and the death penalty.
Not just fashion, then. The same partnership with the company in Ponzano, which began in 1982, would later see the creation of the Colors magazine and the establishment of Fabrica, an international center for young talents in search of a new form of communication.
A new language
Toscani has created advertising campaigns that have sparked debate for the message and provocation they launched, always able to open a heated debate on “hot” topics that disruptively divided his supporters and detractors.
Controversial advertising campaigns that linked his name to a product and a brand, Benetton, but went beyond the object to speak with a new language to Italy and the world of those years.
Olivier Toscani ingeniously combined fashion with a deep understanding of society and its reformist drives, leading to the discussion of all strong and controversial topics that caused scandal but at the same time opened up a never sterile debate.
The announcement of his death
The family announced his death with a simple statement requesting privacy: “With immense sorrow, we announce that today, January 13, 2025, our beloved Oliviero has embarked on his next journey. We kindly ask for privacy and understanding during this time, which we would like to face within the intimacy of the family. Kirsti Toscani with Rocco, Lola, and Ali,” reads the note signed by his wife Kirsti and children.
Zaia’s Condolences
“We pay tribute to a brilliant person – declared Governor Luca Zaia – who has tied long years of his activity as a photographer and outstanding communicator to Veneto. Through his work, he has effectively changed the basic criteria of communication, introducing unique ideas that, by creating debate at various levels, have contributed to the success of the brands he has worked for. To his entire family and to those who have known and appreciated him, I express my deepest condolences”.
We all salute a great photographer and a maverick who has boldly marked and recounted our society: “Thank you Oliviero for helping us understand the world.”
