Mario Testino OBE is widely regarded as one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers of his generation. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has developed a distinctive visual language celebrated for its vitality, elegance, sensuality and immediacy. Working across fashion, portraiture and cultural projects, Testino has helped shape the image of contemporary glamour while maintaining a deep interest in identity, tradition and human presence.

Born in Lima in 1954, Testino studied at the Universidad del Pacífico and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú before continuing his education at the University of San Diego, California. In 1976, he moved to London, where he trained in the photographic studios of John Vickers and Paul Nugent before establishing his own practice. His early experiences in Peru, together with formative periods spent in Brazil, have remained central to his visual sensibility, informing a style that combines refinement and spontaneity with a strong sense of emotional immediacy.

Testino achieved international recognition through his work for leading luxury houses including Gucci, Burberry, Versace, CHANEL, Estée Lauder and Dolce & Gabbana, as well as through his longstanding collaborations with publications such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. His photographs are renowned for their ability to capture both the public persona and the humanity of their subjects, whether supermodels, artists, actors, musicians or members of royal families. Among the defining moments of his career was his 1997 portrait sitting with Diana, Princess of Wales, commissioned by Vanity Fair. These images became some of the most iconic portraits of their era and led to further royal portrait commissions across Europe and the Middle East. While often drawing on the traditions of classical portraiture, his work remains unmistakably contemporary in tone and energy.

Alongside fashion and portrait photography, Testino has pursued broader artistic and cultural explorations. His ongoing series A Beautiful World, launched in 2018, reflects a sustained interest in global cultures, dress, ritual and heritage, presenting images that celebrate the diversity and richness of communities around the world. This focus on cultural expression also informs his work as a collector, curator, collaborator and founder.

For more than three decades, Testino’s work has been exhibited internationally at major museums and institutions. Recent solo exhibitions include Mario Testino at Patricia Low Contemporary, Gstaad (2026); A Beautiful World at Palazzo Bonaparte, Rome (2024); Gone Wild and South Americana at Hamiltons Gallery, London (2023, 2021); Undressed at the Helmut Newton Foundation, Berlin (2017); In Your Face at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (2015), MALBA, Buenos Aires (2014) and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2012); Alta Moda at Dallas Contemporary (2014); Todo o Nada at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid (2010); British Royal Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, London (2012); Portraits at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography (2004) and Foam, Amsterdam (2002); and Diana, Princess of Wales by Mario Testino at Kensington Palace, London (2005). His work has also been presented in collection-based exhibitions, including Shake It Up: Works from the Mario Testino Collection at Sotheby’s in London and Los Angeles (2017) and Somos Libres at MATE, Lima (2013).

His publications include more than twenty books, among them Portraits, Let Me In!, Kate Moss by Mario Testino, In Your Face, Alta Moda, SIR, Undressed and Ciao, reflecting the breadth of a practice that spans fashion photography, portraiture and explorations of personal and cultural identity.

Beyond photography, Testino has maintained a longstanding commitment to philanthropy and the promotion of art and cultural heritage in Peru. In 2012, he founded MATE (Museo Mario Testino) in Lima, a non-profit institution dedicated to culture and creative exchange. His charitable work has also included long-term support for organisations such as Save the Children, amfAR, the Elton John AIDS Foundation and CLIC Sargent, as well as the development of the Parques Teresita playground projects in Peru.

Throughout his career, Testino has received numerous distinctions recognising both his artistic achievements and philanthropic contributions, including the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2014 and the title of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2017. His work continues to occupy a singular place within contemporary photography, where fashion, portraiture, culture and personal vision converge.