Mario Testino was born in 1954 in Lima, Peru. Coming from a traditional Catholic family, he studied economics in Peru and then in California. But passionate about people and the world, he left Peru, a very Catholic country, where he did not feel free to express himself. In 1976, he abandoned his studies and moved to London to study photography, which became a real passion for him.
Mario Testino's work is quickly noticed. He is very inspired by the British photographer Cecil Beaton, from his childhood spent in Peru, from his adolescence in Brazil. His name circulates among the big stars like Madonna, Angelina Jolie when he is not 30 years old. He also works with the biggest fashion magazines including Vogue or Vanity Fair, and is acclaimed by big names in fashion like Lancôme, Gianni Versace and Gucci.
He then photographed the most prominent personalities in the world of show business or fashion, as well as the Princess of Wales Lady Diana shortly before her death. His work, recognized for its daring and for its unusual advertising campaigns, ranks him among the greatest fashion photographers of our time. In 2014 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services rendered to photography and to humanity.
Not long ago, Mario Testino returned to his native country to found the MATE cultural association, dedicated to Peruvian craftsmanship, a personal project close to his heart, an exploration of his native Peru. He is at the origin of the Alta Moda photographic exhibition, in which he pays homage to local craftsmanship. Through these striking photographs, the exhibition reveals a wide variety of dresses typical of Cusco, one of the richest regions of Peru, both in historical and cultural terms. In these images, Mario Testino shows the detail, the complexity and the majesty of the clothes. He also created a unique collection of t-shirts, caftans, scarves, bags and jewelry, inspired by ultra-colorful Peruvian costumes and the Alta Moda series of photographs; a graphic and solar collection, part of the profits of which is donated to the association founded by the artist.
Sources: vogue.fr; eparsa.com
