"Life only makes sense if you live 'against the tide.' Conformism kills creativity and ultimately annihilates humanity": this was the belief of the great photographer, and this rebellious spirit defined his entire life. On August 28, in an interview with Corriere della Sera, he disclosed his illness, amyloidosis, for which he was undergoing experimental treatment: "It makes me laugh. The beauty is that I had never imagined finding myself in this situation; it's a new challenge to face. The beauty is that you no longer care about homeland, family, or property—the ruin of mankind."

The son of the first photojournalist for Corriere della Sera, Toscani was born in Milan in 1942 and studied photography and graphic design at the Zurich University of the Arts from 1961 to 1965. Initially dedicated to fashion photography, he later shifted his focus to advertising communication, creating highly acclaimed campaigns. Among these was his collaboration with Benetton, which began in 1982 and ended in 2000. Toscani stood out for his innovative approach to advertising language, merging it with an overtly provocative ideological message.

As a fashion photographer, Toscani worked with magazines such as Elle, Vogue, GQ, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Stern, Libération, and many others worldwide. In 1990, he launched Colors, the first global magazine, and in 1993, he founded Fabrica, a research center for creativity in modern communication. From 1999 to 2000, he served as creative director of Talk Miramax, a monthly magazine in New York led by Tina Brown.

Toscani was a founding member of the Mendrisio Academy of Architecture, taught visual communication at various universities, and authored several books on the subject. Over nearly five decades of innovation in publishing, advertising, film, and television, he expanded his focus in recent years to include creative communication across various media, producing editorial projects, books, TV programs, exhibitions, and shows.

In 2007, Toscani began Razza Umana (Human Race), a photography and video project exploring diverse human morphologies and conditions. This initiative captured the expressions, physical traits, and cultural characteristics of humanity across more than 100 Italian municipalities, as well as in Israel, Palestine, Japan, Guatemala, and other regions, including for the United Nations. In his later years, he also devoted himself to Nuovo Paesaggio Italiano (New Italian Landscape), a project addressing Italy's environmental and cultural degradation.

Toscani's work has been showcased at the Venice Biennale, the São Paulo Art Biennial, the Milan Triennale, and in modern and contemporary art museums worldwide. He earned numerous accolades, including four Golden Lions, the UNESCO Grand Prix, two Grand Prix d’Affichage awards, and multiple honors from Art Directors Clubs around the globe. The Academy of Fine Arts of Urbino presented him with the "Il Sogno di Piero" award, while the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence named him an Honorary Academic. He was also an honorary member of the Leonardo Committee and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Among his latest projects were collaborations with the Ministry of the Environment and Health, the Calabria Region, the Umberto Veronesi Foundation, and several socially impactful campaigns addressing road safety, anorexia, violence against women, and animal welfare.