Oliviero Toscani is best known for his provocative images, used to create unforgettable campaigns for brands like Benetton. Toscani also captured the famous photo of frighteningly skinny French model Isabelle Caro for a "No Anorexia" campaign.
Yet, it is the work that Toscani produced for his latest client that may soon be banned in Italy. The controversial photographer was hired by an association of Tuscan leather workers who requested a calendar that could capture untamed feminine beauty. Toscani's choice of subject for the the Tuscan artisans? The female pubic area.
The close-up nudes are stirring up a great deal of controversy. Equal Opportunities Minister Mara Carfagna has filed a formal complaint, stating that the material released by Toscani violates a law ensuring equal treatment of men and women in advertising. Carfagna argues that the images offend female dignity.
Toscani had no apologies to make regarding his calendar, stating "There are lots of calendars with sexy women with their thighs exposed, not at all like mine. My photos are not diabolical at all, they capture a beautiful, healthy part of the body. I wanted to de-glamorize the classic fashion industry photos, where women totter in high heels wearing bright red lipstick... and everything is revealed apart from the genital triangle, the real heart of seduction."
