Testino, Mario

Mario Testino, (born October 30, 1954, Lima, Peru), Peruvian fashion photographer known for his evocative portraits and vivid advertisements.

Testino, who was of Irish, Spanish, and Italian descent, found his inspiration in the work of British celebrity and fashion photographer Cecil Beaton. Though Testino studied law and economics at the University of Lima and international affairs at the University of California, San Diego, he later made portfolios for up-and-coming models during the day and worked as a waiter at night. He moved to London in 1976 to focus on his career in fashion photography, and his clients soon included such fashion houses as Gucci, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent and publications including Vogue, Vanity Fair, and W. Testino’s bright, sharp style of photography put an end to the fashion industry’s love affair with “heroin chic” and the accompanying dark, murky images that dominated magazine pages in the early 1990s. His work also helped mute the supermodel trend, as he preferred photographing then-lesser-known models such as Kate Moss, who did not command the same fees as the top models of the fashion industry. With stylist Carine Roitfield, his frequent collaborator, in 1995 Testino helped Gucci creative director Tom Ford relaunch the then-lagging multimillion-dollar-generating Italian luxury line.

Testino, long famous among the fashion crowd, gained universal exposure in 1997 when Diana, princess of Wales, requested that he shoot her image for a Vanity Fair cover story. The iconic shots were among the most famous taken of the princess, and, with her death later that year, Testino’s work became Diana’s last official photo shoot. In the May/June 1998 issue of American Photo, Testino was ranked number 12 among the industry’s 100 most influential people of 1998. Celebrities coveted the chance to work with the photographer; in 1998 his photo of the Spice Girls graced the cover of American Vogue, and Madonna’s 1998 album Ray of Light featured Testino’s images of her. He also became a favourite photographer of the British royal family, and in 2010 Testino took the official engagement photographs of Catherine Middleton and Prince William, Diana’s elder son. Five years later he photographed the christening party for the couple’s daughter, Princess Charlotte.

In 2018 a number of models and assistants accused Testino of sexual misconduct, and Condé Nast—which published various magazines, notably Vogue—subsequently announced that it had stopped working with him. In addition, several fashion brands stated that they would no longer hire Testino.

Testino’s first book was the eagerly anticipated Any Objections? (1998). His other books included Front Row/Back Stage (1999) and Alive (2001). Portraits, published in 2002, accompanied the Testino exhibit held that same year at London’s National Portrait Gallery; the highly successful show toured internationally for four years. Testino was the recipient of an Order of Merit from his birth city of Lima.