Mario Testino’s Alta Moda Cover's WhitePaperBy Magazine

In this in-depth 2022 cover feature, WhitePaperBy explores Mario Testino’s celebrated series Alta Moda, a body of work rooted in the traditional dress of the Andean highlands. In conversation with Carlos Megía, Testino reflects on discovering the archive of regional costumes while on assignment for British Vogue in Cuzco and how that moment evolved into a multi-year documentation project. Alta Moda became both an artistic homage and a cultural offering to Peru, drawing on influences from Martín Chambi and capturing the elegance, pride and identity expressed through traditional dress. Testino discusses the project’s personal and national significance, its emotional impact on audiences, and how it shaped his understanding of legacy, heritage and photographic responsibility.