Oliviero Toscani

This book is made up of over 20 articles on various themes and campaigns key to Oliviero Toscani's extraordinary career spanning over fifty years. Laid out in a magazine format, it explores the different themes covered by his work ranging from being the creative force behind brands and advertising campaigns to his work on numerous social design projects. The book also looks in detail at Toscani himself, with contributions from some of the leading people he has worked with over the years, such as Anna Wintour, David Bowie, Bill Cunningham, Valentino and Naomi Campbell. The book features Toscani's advertising campaigns, particularly his work with Benetton from 1982 to 2000, which was some of the most shocking advertising ever seen: in some cases provoking lawsuits and the removal of Benetton clothing from stores. However, he worked wonders for the company, making it into one of the world's most recognised clothing brands - despite no items of clothing appearing in the campaigns between 1990 and 2000. Toscani's photography often depicts what no one has ever dared to explore before in advertising, such as homosexuality, racism and anorexia. This controversial approach to photography as a medium for sending provocative messages is what he is most renowned for and is looked at in detail in this book.