Mario Testino , the famous Peruvian fashion photographer, worked with almost every high-profile magazine and model of his time. Due to his busy schedule, he lived all over the world. He was also present at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement to take photos.

Born name

Mario Eduardo Testino Silva

nickname

Mario

Sun sign

Scorpio

Place of birth

Lima, Peru

Residence

Mario owns an elegant 1933 Spanish-style hacienda in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. However, due to his work demands, he is frequently missing from his LA home and resides in other properties he owns around the world.

nationality

training

Mario Testino went to Santa Maria Marianistas a Catholic school. He was later enrolled at La Universidad del Pacífico , where he majored in economics. He then got admission to the yPontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru .

He also studied at the University of San Diego . He then decided to drop out of economics, law and international affairs studies and moved to London to study photography.

In London he trained in the studios of Paul Nugent and John Vickers to learn his craft as a photographer.

occupation

Fashion and portrait photographer

family

• Father – Mario Testino
• Mutter – Teresa Silva
• Siblings – He has 5 younger siblings.

Manager

Mario Testino is represented by his own agency MARIOTESTINO +.

Build

Average

Height

6 ft 3 in oder 190 cm

weight

85 kg or 187.5 lbs

girlfriend/spouse

Despite staying in the spotlight for more, Mario Testino has spoken to the media about his personal life for more than four decades, making it difficult to say anything about his love life and dating history.

race/ethnicity

White

He is of Irish and Spanish descent on his mother’s side, while he is of Italian descent on his father’s side.

hair colour

salt and pepper

eye color

Green

sexual orientation

unknown

distinguishing features

prominent nose

brand promotion

Mario Testino has not done any promotional work for any brand.

Religion

During his childhood he was very religious. He went to a Catholic school and wanted to be a priest. However, his religious views as an adult are not known.

Known for

• To be one of the most famous photographers in the fashion industry.
• I have worked for the leading magazines such as Vanity Fair, GQ and Vogue.
• With images for the leading fashion brands such as Gucci, Versace, Chanel, Michael Kors and Burberry.

First TV show

In 2005, Mario Testino made his first TV show appearance on the popular talk show, HARDtalk Extra .

Mario Testino facts

1. In 2002 his book Mario Testino – Portraits (through publications of the National Portrait Gallery) which was a collection of his iconic photographs was published.
2. In January 2018, Vogue announced they had banned Testino from working with them after he was hit by a string of male models for sexual misconduct.
3. He was hired by the English royal family to photograph Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement.
4. He was considered Princess Diana’s favorite fashion photographer. He has been hired to photograph the former royal on a number of occasions, including for Vanity Fair magazine a few months before her death.
5. He does extensive charity work with Save the Children’s Organisation. After the earthquake in his native Peru in 2017, he decided to print a single print of one of his famous Princess Diana portraits for a fundraiser that raised £100,000 to build a clinic in El Salvador.
6. He has also done social activities and charity work for non-profit organizations such as Sargent Cancer Care, the Elton John Aids Foundation, amfAR and Women to Women.
7. In 2012 he announced the creation of his Lima-based non-profit organization MATE, which aims to provide a platform for Peruvian artists and promote arts in the country.
8. In January 2014, Mario was awarded an honorary OBE by England’s Minister for Culture Ed Vaizey. He was considered for an OBE, but as he was not a British citizen or a Commonwealth country of which the Queen is the head of state, they decided to honor him with an honorary award.
9. When he first moved to London, he lived in an apartment in an abandoned hospital near Trafalgar Square.
10. In his early days in London, he funded his passion for photography as a waiter.
11. In the early days of his photography career, he dyed his hair pink because he felt it helped him stand out more easily.
12. In 1983, Mario’s first work was featured in the legendary Vogue magazine.
13. In 2011 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Photographic Society. That same year, he received GQ’s Man of the Year Inspiration award.
14. For his immense charity work he was honored in Peru with the Order of Merit of the Grand Cross. It is one of the highest civil honors in his home country.
15. He helped raise funds for Natalia Vodianova’s Naked Heart Foundation. The donations were used to build a playground at a Moscow children’s cancer hospital.
16. When he lost his younger brother who was 10 years old to cancer, he worked tirelessly for various causes of cancer and related charities and foundations.
17. In 2014, Mario Testino became President of the Board of World Monuments Fund Peru, a Peru-based subsidiary of the non-profit organization dedicated to preserving historical architecture and cultural heritage.
18. In Lima he restored a 13,000 square meter property. Mansion built in 1898. The mansion serves as a permanent exhibition for his work. Works by various Peruvian and international artists are temporarily exhibited in the house.
19. Visit his official website @ mariotestino.com.
20. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.