A Celebration of Cultural Identity

A Beautiful World is Mario Testino’s ongoing photographic project that celebrates global traditions through dress, ritual, and community. Across more than 30 countries, Testino has photographed the ways in which people express identity and preserve heritage through visual culture.

In 2007, Mario Testino set out to photograph traditional Peruvian costumes in the city of Cusco, in his native Peru, and thus discovered an interest that would become his most ambitious project: A Beautiful World. Since then, it has grown into a broader reflection on how communities around the world uphold and reinterpret their customs. From Mexico’s embroidered garments to Mongolia’s wrestling attire, and Kenya’s beadwork to Uzbekistan’s ceremonial robes, A Beautiful World brings diverse cultural expressions together through a single lens.