creativity

Oliviero Toscani: A Life Lived Against The Grain

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Lessons from his visionary and controversial legacy


Oliviero Toscani, the trailblazing photographer known for his provocative campaigns, has passed away at 82 from a rare disease. Iconoclastic, daring, and deeply influential, Toscani leaves behind a body of work that continues to inspire and challenge conventional thinking.

Back in August, Toscani revealed to the newspaper Corriere della Sera that he had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, amyloidosis. This rare condition involves a build-up of abnormal protein deposits in the body, disrupting its functions. Also, he candidly admitted he didn’t know how much time he had left.

For many of us, Toscani’s work was an indelible part of growing up. In fact, his bold imagery for Benetton’s campaigns was inescapable, with each new billboard sparking heated debates and social discourse. However, Toscani wasn’t just a photographer; he was a provocateur who made audacity the cornerstone of his work.

The visionary yet controversial legacy of Oliviero Toscani


In his own words, Toscani succinctly expressed his philosophy:

“If you tell the truth, you scare people; if you’re free, you scare people. I believe provocation is intrinsic to art. If art doesn’t provoke something, it’s useless: it must spark discussions, perspectives, interest, and maybe even change someone’s mind.”

This ethos defined his career. Toscani’s work was provocative, unorthodox, and visionary. Specifically, he was a pioneer in merging fashion with societal commentary, often choosing to omit the product itself to spotlight larger narratives. Diversity—at a time when no one talked about it. Racism. Anorexia.

His approach defied trends and market demands. As he once declared:

“I don’t do things for the market; I don’t even know what the market wants.”

One of his most striking statements resonates profoundly:

“Life only makes sense if lived ‘against.’ Conformity kills creativity.”

It’s a call to do things when others don’t, to break free from the norm and embrace creative freedom. 

Finally, in an interview on the Italian TV programme Quante Storie — a show dedicated to exploring new books — Toscani delivered a piercing critique of modern culture:

“I find social media to be mental concentration camps that create uniformity.”

This sentiment underscores his lifelong fight against mediocrity and conformity, championing a world where art and thought challenge and inspire.

Conclusion


Oliviero Toscani, who passed away at 82, leaves a profound legacy defined by attentive observation and uncompromising provocation. His work serves as a testament to the importance of questioning the status quo and embracing a new perspective. Toscani’s fearless creativity will resonate for years, inspiring future generations to push boundaries and challenge the ordinary.

Most importantly, his legacy teaches us to use our work—whatever it may be—to deliver a deeper message.

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Creativity in Fashion: A Hollow Shell

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The most present word in fashion debates, yet absent in practice


Creativity is one of the most overused and misrepresented words in the fashion industry—a once-vibrant ideal now reduced to a hollow shell. A broken promise. What was meant to be the heart, the spark, the very foundation of fashion has been pushed to the periphery, sidelined in favour of other priorities. Yet, everybody now talks about it.

2024: an omnipresent, hollow shell of a word


Throughout 2024, the word “creativity” dominated every panel discussion, CEO interview, and designer or creative director reshuffle. It felt like an industry-wide admission: “We’ve been focusing on marketing, naming new creative directors, and growth and then growth again. But we lost sight of creativity.”  

For instance, consider the interview with Frédéric Grangié, Chanel’s Head of Watches and Jewellery, in Le Temps. Grangié cautioned that the luxury industry is facing a profound crisis—one that goes beyond the temporary challenges of economic slowdowns. He highlighted a fundamental shift: luxury is losing its mystique as the allure of exclusivity diminishes and customers grow increasingly disillusioned with high-end brands.

Grangié’s message was unequivocal: genuine creativity, coupled with a long-term strategy, is the only viable path forward. Without these, luxury brands risk losing their essence and faltering under the weight of the growing crisis.

Fashion & creativity


Indeed, brands have lost their distinctiveness, morphing into interchangeable entities. An industry once revered for its idiosyncratic creativity has devolved into a hollow vessel, prioritising profit over vision. The relentless chase for marketability and fleeting trends has stripped many maisons of their credibility and authenticity. Also, it relegated creativity to a secondary, almost insignificant role.

As a result, the fashion industry finds itself at an impasse. Simultaneously, prices have skyrocketed—often without justification—further alienating consumers. And yet, in a striking irony, the same experts now declare, “We need to focus on creativity.”

Really? Dear mainstream brands, what have you been offering all this time?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, creativity is the ability to produce original and imaginative ideas or to create something new.
Isn’t that supposed to be your role?

Conclusion


In short, fashion was once a vibrant celebration of creativity and craftsmanship. A space where ideas flourished and vision reigned supreme. Over time, however, this core spark has been sidelined, overshadowed by greed, financial gain, and unsustainable growth. What was once the heart of the industry—creativity—now stands as a hollow shell, a mere echo of its former vitality.

Now, we are afraid it’s being called back into focus—not out of genuine reverence, but as a desperate response to declining business.

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Pierpaolo Piccioli Announced Departure From Valentino

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Fashion industry: financial gain at the expense of creative vision


Seismic news rocked the fashion industry: Pierpaolo Piccioli, the creative force behind Valentino, has announced his departure. This startling development prompts us to question, even further, the essence of fashion itself.

Piccioli’s sole leadership modernised Valentino with unparalleled and undeniable beauty. His visionary approach to fashion exuded poetic elegance, expressed through magnificent couture pieces. Also, he championed inclusivity and diversity, embodying a powerful political stance. 

PP Piccioli: an exception in the fashion industry

However, Piccioli has been an exception in fashion: he’s been the only designer who has fully respected the Maison’s DNA he designed for. (We wrote about it here). Very few others have shown such humble respect for the founder. In fact, Mr Valentino’s own words after the announcement sum it up perfectly: 

“Thank you, @pppiccioli, first and foremost, for your friendship, respect, and support.
You’re the only designer I know who hasn’t tried to distort the codes of a major brand by imposing new ones and the megalomania of a ridiculous ego. “

Mr Valentino via Instagram

Mr. Valentino’s insights shed light on the contemporary approach of creative directors in their roles. The presumed objective is to revitalise the brand’s image, infusing it with modernity. However, lacking humility or reverence, many creative directors recklessly discard past achievements. More often than not, this results in designs devoid of beauty or purpose, merely serving marketing interests. In other words, the fashion industry is all about financial gain at the expense of creativity and consistency.

It’s undeniable that the luxury sector is experiencing a slowdown. But it’s crucial to recognize that creative designers don’t have a magic wand. Moreover, no other designer can uphold Valentino’s legacy to the extent that Piccioli has thus far.

Financial gain vs creativity and consistency

Indeed, it’s disconcerting how the fashion industry incessantly targets younger generations. The reality is, most young people cannot afford a 2,200 euro mini dress! So, this prompts reflection on whether the true essence of design has shifted towards more accessible items. Should we expect fashion Maisons to sell logoed baseball caps?

Should we anticipate another ‘Balenciagan’ spectacle? Or a new lace & blossom Alessandro Michele’s Gucci style? These are just a couple of examples of larger-than-life egos in the industry. Alessandro Michele’s radical transformation of Gucci begs some questions. After he killed Gucci’s heritage, will the Maison ever regain its credibility? And does it make any sense to risk a similar fate for Valentino?

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pierpaolo Piccioli announced his departure from Valentino, leaving many perplexed. Beyond expressing admiration for the immense beauty that he has brought to the forefront over the years, we struggle to grasp the underlying rationale. Or, perhaps, we understand it all too well. But we are fed up with that game.

We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Fashion Creative Roots

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The significance of creativity for the fashion industry


In the wake of Giancarlo Giammetti’s observations, the discourse around fashion creative roots gains further depth when considering the overarching exits of industry creative giants like Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang, and the perspectives of Akira Onokuza, the mind behind Zucca. Their departures were not only about individual choices but symbolic of a larger shift in the fashion paradigm. Specifically, the industry moved from creativity to financial metrics.

Creativity & the current fashion industry:


1. Financial Focus versus Creativity: 

Put into perspective, Martin Margiela, Akira Onozuka, or Helmut Lang’s exits resonate with Giammetti’s comments. Their departures from the industry were not merely personal decisions but reflections of a system that prioritises sales forecasts and mass production over artistic expression and innovation. This departure of creative visionaries underscores the broader trend affecting the industry’s core.

2. Consequences of Overproduction: 

Akira Onokuza’s statement to Brutus Japan in 2021 about pervasive overproduction: “People are overproducing anything and everything,” further accentuates the problem. In fact, the industry’s obsession with churning out excessive quantities, fueled by consumerism, has led to environmental degradation and a devaluation of creativity in the pursuit of profit margins.

3. Reinforcing the Commitment to Change: 

These departures and insights reinforce our conviction that the fashion system must undergo a radical reevaluation. By advocating for limited production, emphasising quality craftsmanship, and prioritising sustainability, we stand with industry leaders who focus on creativity and conscientious consumption.

Creative essence: the core of fashion


In short, the departure of iconic designers and industry voices like Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang, and Akira Onokuza (to mention some of the true geniuses) serve as poignant reminders of the urgent need to shift the fashion industry’s focus. By staying steadfast in our commitment to a redefined value on creativity, craftsmanship, and sustainability, we aim to contribute to the revival of a meaningful fashion.

As fashion strayed from its creative origins, its essence eroded into a pursuit solely driven by financial gain. Therefore, restoring a connection with creativity, its core – is the first step toward achieving sustainability. Only through the reclamation of its creative roots will the fashion industry find purpose and direction.

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Production Chains Impasse

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The urgency to make a change in a world at a standstill


Production chains have been disrupted first by the pandemic and second by the war in Ukraine. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to have a short term solution.

Consequently, the question arises: how can we reorganise the production system to align with a more sustainable model?

The most striking reality is that the Western world relies on goods produced in countries where wages fall far below the threshold for a decent standard of living. That is a dead-end system: corporations will never renounce that magnificent cake which secures their profits. At the same time, everyone worldwide contributes to sustaining the system through overconsumption.

With a complete lack of vision, most companies hope to get back to normal soon, identifying that normal with the pre-pandemic and prewar structure. But the war and the new outbreak in China added more problems, further slowing raw material supplies and destroying markets. So it just got worse. While disrupting production chains, those catastrophic events are bringing in radical changes. And maybe, even those companies who prayed for “back to normal” will understand that life will never be the same, nor will production chains.

Production chains – What are the possibilities?


Small-sized companies offering local productions are more prone to change and more adaptable to new situations. On the contrary, big chains don’t have this ability to change and adapt quickly.
Artisanal should be the new normal, guided by the principle of going ahead with production only when there is a commitment to purchase. No overproduction.
Also, more focused production would give space to creativity, which is fundamental to conceiving meaningful products, goods made to last and worth buying.

Small, artisanal and creative are just some of the elements that provide a thoughtful and sustainable business model.

Of course, being creative means taking risks, so no one wants to do it because there’s no guarantee of success. But the catastrophic events we are witnessing tell us that we must change now.

In order to provide sustainable production chains, we need people leading the industries with innovative visions based on ethical principles.

Taking risks is part of the game. There’s no other way to make a change.

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