Mario Testino

Widely regarded as one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers, Mario Testino is responsible for the creation of emblematic images, transmitting emotion and energy in an open and intimate way, transgressing cultures and gender to document all people of the world.

Born in Lima in 1954 to a traditional Catholic family, remote from the worlds of fashion and Hollywood, Testino moved from Peru to London in 1976. During apprenticeships at the studios of John Vickers and Paul Nugent, he made his first attempts as a photographer, inspired by how photography masters documented the society of their times. His work first appeared in Vogue and 1983 and has since shot for magazines all over the globe. In 1997, Testino was commissioned to photograph Princess Diana for her famous Vanity Fair cover, launching his career into international acclaim.

Testino's work has been exhibited in museums around the world, including the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin (Undressed, 2017) the Shanghai Art Museum (Private View, 2012) and the National Portrait Gallery in London (Portraits, 2002). His photographs are in collections including the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Metropolitan Museum in Tokyo, among others.

More than 17 books of his photography have been published, including MaRIO DE JANEIRO Testino, Kate Moss by Mario Testino, Alta Moda and Fina Estampa. MATE – Museo Mario Testino was established in 2012 to contribute to his homeland of Peru through the cultivation and promotion of South American culture and heritage. In recognition of his charity work, Testino was awarded the Legion of Honour of France in 2017, the Order of the British Empire in 2013, and the Order of the Sun in the Grand Cross of Peru, in 2014.