Cavalli is synonymous with glam and rock. Look to Cavalli for color, and lots of it. A genius when it comes to leather, his designs are wild, sexy, erotic, and fluid. His materials vary (leather, denim, silk, feathers) but the results are often unforgettable. A man whose body of work traditionally walks on the wild side of things, and who undoubtedly never met a leopard he didn’t like.

Born in Florence, Italy on November 15, 1940, Roberto Cavalli was very much destined for an artistic career. As the son of a tailor, he was exposed to the elementary fundamentals of design and sewing; skills he would carry from childhood to the title of coveted designer. Cavalli’s grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi, was an impressionist painter with pristine works that remain in the halls of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. (The Uffizi Gallery, with a renowned collection of renaissance paintings from the likes of Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, is one of the world’s most famous museums of sculpture and paintings.) These traits contributed to gifted inspiration.

Acquiring a significant creative sense from his family fueled an already existent artistic ability. While attending the Academy of Art, he realized a unique, gifted ability as a painter, eventually uniting his painting talent and fabric sense, resulting in fashion extraordinaire. He was so enamored with the connection between fabrics, painting and art that Cavalli began to experiment with unusual fabrics and designs while continuing his studies at the Academy. Through detailed and thorough research coupled with modern technology, Cavalli invented the process of printing onto lightweight leather; a process he would later patent.

Appropriately so, Cavalli is most widely known throughout the art and fashion worlds as a gifted leather designer. Through the combination of lightweight leather and paints, Cavalli created a new frontier of fashion. Known at patchworks, Cavalli created pieces that would later become revered as pure classics. The pieces and works of Cavalli would soon realize more international fame and success when Brigitte Bardot gave the world a captivating glance of his talent in St. Tropez on the Cote d’Azur, about 3 hours from the Italian border.

Fast forward to 1972 when Roberto Cavalli would unveil his first fashion line in his hometown of Florence at the Palazzo Pitti; a historic architectural gem commissioned by banker Luca Pitti. Unfortunately for Cavalli, his first public presentation would not be received with the bliss and glamour as other renowned designers. Florentine’s considered his use of denim less than fashionable since the fabric had not been previously displayed by the likes of such beauty and style-conscious figures. However, Cavalli believed his fashions were notable contributions to the world of fashion and continued his perseverance to become one of fashion’s elite and prominent designers.

A crowning achievement, so to speak, was incorporating the support and assistance of his wife, Eva Duringer, a former Miss Universe, to catapult his work onto the world stage. Through her encouragement, he maintained his unconventional style to create some of fashion’s most coveted designs using the same fabrics, animal prints and designs as he did in his earlier days. Staying true to his artisan roots propelled Cavalli’s career.

Signature Style

Roberto Cavalli is all about edgy, high-end fashion. Animal print, exotic patterns and unique prints are all a signature of Roberto Cavalli. He is known for his jeans, whether they are sandblasted, sequined or ripped, Cavalli jeans are “the jeans” to own. Roberto Cavalli himself says he enjoys “dangerous dressing”.

The main line is of course Roberto Cavalli and is the pricier out of all of the lines, which includes a men and women’s line. The prêt-a-porter line includes Just Cavalli, Class- the knitwear line, Roberto Cavalli Underwear, Freedom Roberto Cavalli, Roberto Cavalli Eyewear, Roberto Cavalli Timewear, Roberto Cavalli Angels (little girls collection) and Roberto Cavalli Perfume and Roberto Cavalli Casa (products for the home).

In 1999 the opening of a store on Madison Avenue, in New York, whipped up great momentum. All the New York girls started wearing Cavalli jeans. Hot girls in hot places identified with the high glam sensibility of Cavalli’s clothes. His clothes were worn by the stars of TV’s hot serial “Sex and the City”. Elton John was in the store for hours picking out clothes.

Over 750 labels presented menswear collections in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy, for Fall 2002. Cavalli was the show’s favourite saluting his 20 year career. Cavalli himself opened a brand new boutique in the city’s historic centre.

Cavalli’s expansive fashion house includes men’s and womenswear, children’s, underwear and casual lines, as well as eyewear and timepieces. He has also introduced Roberto Cavalli casa, a line of fashion for the home. Today, Cavalli’s unique creations adorn the likes of Anthony Hopkins, Sting, Jennifer Lopez, Lenny Kravitz, Whitney Houston, Cindy Crawford, Cher, Alicia Keys and many other style-conscious celebrities and couture aficionados.

In Fall 2002, Roberto brought out his first fragrance. He was initially planning to call it Serpente, and in fact the bottle has the pattern of a snake’s skin, but then he called it “Roberto Cavalli Parfum”. It is as sensual as his clothing, blending sandalwood, citrus, rose and musk notes with the same verve as he mixes animal prints and florals on the catwalk.

Roberto Cavalli has boutiques in Milan, New York, Capri, Miami, Las Vegas, Saint Tropez, St. Barth, San Paolo, Brazil and Moscow, Russia.

In October 2002, in New York, the Fashion Group International voted Cavalli as the Designer of the Year, at a glittering function attended by all the New York fashion celebrities. He accepted the award gratefully saying “This means America accepts me”.

Roberto Cavalli is an energetic man and it shows through his high-energy collections. His clothes are exciting, of-the-moment and true art forms at best. When you see a Cavalli piece, you know what it is instantly. There is no mistaking for any other designer. It’s unique – It’s Roberto Cavalli.