Super Mario

The Party
Art collectors and a host of Mario Testino’s striking subjects turned up for the opening of the famed fashion photographer’s first L.A. gallery exhibition in seven years. The festivities continued long into the night with an after-party held at Suzanne Saperstein’s Beverly Hills home, Fleur-de-Lys, where the A-listers shook off pre-Oscar jitters.

The Players
Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bündchen, J. Alexander, Alessandra Ambrosio, Poppy Delevingne, Russell Simmons, Benedikt Taschen, Jeffrey Deitch, Liberty Ross

The Highlights
Testino’s colossal prints—many of which were more than 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide—covered every wall in the gallery with images of pink fluorescent disco balls, blissful beaches, lovers caught in a moment of passion and portraits he’s taken during downtime between shooting covers for Vogue and Vanity Fair. “Every image has a common denominator: desire,” said Testino. “It can be weather, nature or even a humanistic desire. All of these images spoke to me.” One particular second-floor shot, an angelic black and white close-up of Kate Moss, caught guests’ eyes. And one by one, they posed next to the photographer’s long-standing muse to create portraits of their own.

Photos courtesy of David X Prutting/BFA