Mario Testino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mario Testino
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Testino in 2014
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Mario Eduardo Testino Silva
30 October 1954 (age 70) Lima, Peru
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| Known for | Photographer |
Mario Eduardo Testino Silva, also known as Mario Testino, is a famous photographer from Peru. He was born on October 30, 1954. He is well-known for taking pictures of fashion and portraits of people.
His photos have been seen in many big magazines around the world. These include Vogue, V Magazine, Vanity Fair, and GQ. He has also created images for popular brands. Some of these brands are Gucci, Burberry, Versace, and Chanel. Besides photography, Testino has also worked as a creative director and helped start a museum. He also collects art and is an entrepreneur.
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Early Life
Mario Testino grew up in Lima, Peru. He came from a Roman Catholic family that was quite well-off. He was the oldest of six children. His family background includes Spanish, Italian, and Irish roots. He went to a Catholic school called Santa Maria Marianistas. When he was a child, he even thought about becoming a priest.
Testino studied economics at different universities. He attended La Universidad del Pacífico and the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. He also studied at the University of San Diego.
In 1976, he decided to move to London. He wanted to study photography there. He had stopped his studies in economics, law, and international affairs. In London, he started learning photography by working as an apprentice. He lived in a simple shared house and didn't have much money. He worked as a waiter to support himself. He even dyed his hair pink to get noticed as a photographer! He found inspiration from a famous British photographer named Cecil Beaton. London allowed him to be more creative and expressive than he felt he could be in Peru.
His first pictures appeared in Vogue magazine in 1983. In the early 1990s, Testino found inspiration from his childhood in Peru. He also used memories from his teenage summers in Brazil. This helped him develop his unique style of photography.
A Famous Photographer
Mario Testino has become one of the most famous fashion photographers globally. He has photographed many well-known people. These include movie stars, musicians, supermodels, and artists. His work has been featured in top magazines. These magazines include Vogue, V Magazine, Vanity Fair, and GQ.
Working with Royals
Some of Testino's most famous photos are his portraits of royal families. His pictures of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 are especially well-known. These photos were taken for Vanity Fair magazine. Testino said that photographing Diana opened doors for him. After that, he photographed many royal families across Europe. He enjoyed showing their traditions and family connections.
Testino was also the official photographer for the engagement of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in December 2010. In July 2015, he took the official photos of the British royal family. This was after Princess Charlotte of Cambridge's christening. He has also photographed many other royal families.
Creative Projects
In the mid-1990s, Testino worked with Tom Ford and stylist Carine Roitfeld. They created exciting advertising campaigns. Many people believe this work helped bring Gucci back as a major fashion brand.
Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, once said something important about Testino. She stated that fashion photography mixes art and business. She felt that Mario understood this mix better than anyone.
Testino is known for taking many magazine photos. He is also credited with helping Gisele Bündchen and Kate Moss become supermodels. He kept photographing them, which helped boost their fame. In 2013, Testino started his 'Towel Series' on Instagram. In this series, he photographed famous people wearing only towels. This idea became very popular. Many of his followers copied it, and celebrities wanted to be part of it.
Terence Pepper, a photography curator, called Testino the "John Singer Sargent of our times." Sargent was a famous painter. This comparison shows how important Testino's work is.
Exhibitions and Books
Testino's work has been shown in museums worldwide. His "Portraits" exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2002 was very popular. It attracted more visitors than any other show there for ten years. The exhibition then traveled globally for four years. His work has also been displayed at the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin and the Shanghai Art Museum.
More than 17 books of his photography have been published. Some of these books include Ciao, Sir, MaRIO DE JANEIRO Testino, and Kate Moss by Mario Testino. He also published Alta Moda and Pasito a Paso.
Testino also has his own art collection. Parts of his collection have been shown in two exhibitions. The first was Somos Libres in 2013 at MATE – Museo Mario Testino – in Lima, Peru. The second, Somos Libres II, was in Turin, Italy, in 2014. He has also worked with artists like Keith Haring and Julian Schnabel.
Helping Others
Mario Testino has been recognized for helping many non-profit groups and charities. In 2010, he received a high honor in Peru, his home country. He was given The Grand Cross Order of Merit. In 2014, he became the President of the Board for World Monuments Fund Peru.
As an ambassador for Save the Children, he helped raise money. This money was used to build the El Salvador Clinic in Peru. The clinic was for children with tuberculosis in an area hit by an earthquake in 2007. The clinic was built entirely from the sale of one of his photos of Princess Diana. That photo sold for £100,000!
He also helped raise money for Natalia Vodianova's Naked Heart Foundation. This money built a playground at a children's hospital in Moscow. This hospital specializes in cancer treatment. This cause is very important to him because his brother died from cancer when he was 10 years old.
In 2012, Testino opened his own non-profit organization in Lima, Peru. It is called the Asociación Mario Testino (MATE). The Museo Mario Testino was created to support Peruvian art. It helps promote the country's culture and heritage.
Awards and Honors
Mario Testino has received many awards for his work and his charity efforts.
- In 2014, he was made an Honorary Officer of the OBE in London. This was for his contributions to photography and charity.
- In 2011, he received an Honorary Fellowship from The Royal Photographic Society. This award is given to important people connected to photography.
- Also in 2011, GQ magazine gave him the Man of the Year Inspiration Award.
- In Latin America, he received The Grand Cross rank of the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service in Peru in 2010. He also got The Tiradentes Medal in Brazil in 2007.
- Within the fashion world, he received the Walpole Award for services to the luxury industry in 2009. He also got the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award in 2005 and the British Style Award in 2003.
- In 2017, he was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur for his contributions to culture.
See also
In Spanish: Mario Testino para niños
