Almost a year ago now, fashion photographer Mario Testino was accused of unwanted sexual advances by over a dozen male models and assistants. In the wake of a Times report detailing these allegations, a number of major luxury brands declared that they would be cutting ties with the photographer. So did Condé Nast, the publisher of magazines including Vogue and Vanity Fair, which Testino shot for often.
It’s been a quiet period for Testino since, and he’s remained out of the spotlight. Still, is it possible for Testino to plot a comeback? He wouldn’t be the first.
According to a new report by the South China Morning Post, Testino has been in Southeast Asia “approach[ing] wealthy millennials […] for private photo sessions.” While the Post could not confirm this information directly, the publication did point to an Instagram shared by Ivan Pun in November, where he poses with Testino and two members of Testino’s “team” in Yangon, Myanmar. The Post describes Pun as the founder of Pun + Projects, a “lifestyle company that operates restaurants and galleries in Yangon and Hong Kong.” Pun captioned his photo with the hashtag “Team Testino.”
Pun confirmed to the Post that Testino is currently working on “personal projects around the world.” He denied, however, that he was working on anything with the photographer, adding that Testino is “just a friend who was passing through town,” so he showed him and his team some “old spaces.”
In January, fellow fashion photographer Bruce Weber was also accused of sexual misconduct in the same report as Testino, and is currently awaiting his yet-to-be-scheduled day in court. In the meantime, Paul Smith hosted a book signing last Tuesday for All-American, the photography and literary journal Weber started with his wife, Nan. The new issue is titled “Facing the World.”
When WWD asked Weber if the title was a reference to the events of the past year, he responded: “Sure, definitely, definitely, and maybe that’s why I suggested it. You know what I mean?” He later declined to speak about his undetermined court date and the effects these accusations have had on his career, saying only hopes we have “other things to talk about” sometime soon.