Having hit the catwalks in 1972, Roberto Cavalli’s bold, provoking and at the same time aristocratic style is still craved by popstars, socialites and Hollywood divas. Cavalli’s exclusive outfits are destined for the Oscars’ red carpet. Madonna, Salma Hayek, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Sting, Bono, Lenny Cravitz and many others call themselves Cavalli aficionados.
Cavalli dislikes being called a fashion designer and prefers the title of a "fashion artist". Which is no surprise, as Roberto grew in the artistic atmosphere. His grandfather on mother’s side was Giuseppe Rossi, a famous Florentine impressionist whose works are kept in the Uffizi Gallery. He was a follower of macchiaoli, a branch in Italian painting in 1860s-1880s that painted in a free manner using dabs of colour. This very tradition found way into Roberto’s art as well – the designer admired granddad’s works.
The young Cavalli graduated from the Florentine Art Academy and decided to follow into his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, i.e. become a painter. But then took an interest in fashion. A man of an extreme talent, Roberto created a kind of a blend of fashion design, painting, sculpture and craftsmanship. The designer bravely experiments with colour and texture of fabrics, leather and fur. His creations are multicoloured and gaudy like exotic birds’ plumage; artfully compiled, they assemble into a natural and unique pattern, like leopard’s skin. 
Roberto’s designer career began while he was still studying in the Academy. He took an interest in patchwork and created astonishing pieces using this technique. It was a beatnik-fashion-meets-refined-art kind of wear. His leather creations, first viewed purely as a game, became a sensation. The first collection by Cavalli presented in 1972 in Florence triggered a great scandal in fashion industry. The snobbish and elegant Florentine crowd was offered jeanswear, previously considered the uniform of the poor, decorated and embroidered like finest silk. It was Cavalli’s ironic spit into the face of a high society which immediately gained him the reputation of a renegade. He had to wait to be accepted by the fashion industry maitres for quite a while. However, it only won him popularity among film and rock stars. Cavalli’s baroque jeans were the talk of the town.
One of Roberto Cavalli’s signature styles is jungle print: imagine a languishing beauty in a gorgeous leopard or zebra-patterned dressing gown, business suit or a sexy coctail dress. Gaudy jungle prints are much favoured by Cavalli who inherited his granddad’s infatuation with macchiaoli, with their playful dabs of bright colour. Not once had Roberto confessed during his interviews that, being a true Florentian, he couldn’t but be inspired by the striking colours and romantic atmosphere of his native city. That is why all his collections are eccentric, a bit ironic, but invariably elegant.
It took the energetic Roberto Cavalli only 35 years to build a giant empire under his own brand. His boutiques selling fashion wear and accessories are spread across the world, from Venice, Paris, New York, Saint-Barthélemy, Crans-Montana, Milan, Rome, Florence and Marbella to Capri, Saint-Tropez and Moscow. But Roberto doesn’t stop at that and conquers other sections of luxury industry.
Cavalli style in everything and everywhere – why not? Home accessories by the famous Italian brand are very popular among the high and mighty. Avant-garde artist Cavalli remains faithful to his principles even in home décor. His fans have an opportunity to surround themselves with lively designer’s art, resting on a signature rose-print sofa, leaning on a pillow with a similar fabulous design and, of course, have some green tea from a fine porcelain cup with the same roses.
The names for his tableware collections frequently match his favourite jungle theme: Crocodile, Python, Zebra and Giraffa. There’s more to Cavalli, though: one of his last brand products is vodka in a snake-shaped bottle, a very mild drink for the artistic crowd that doesn’t favour wine and weak cocktails.
Despite being surrounded by the prettiest women in the world, Roberto remains faithful to his wife - Eva Duringer, a 1977 Miss Universe (she was 18 back then). They met in the faraway 1977 and are still happily married in spite of the 19-year age difference. Eva wisely considers the woman to be the greatest support in her husband’s career. She is Roberto’s muse and the main advisor of his sometimes crazy projects.
Charismatic and eccentric Florentine Roberto Cavalli is always on the look-out for new ideas. A powerful generator, he produces brilliant projects, and many of them are brought to life. The Cavalli empire is growing, and this trend in luxury industry seems very appealing indeed.
Nikita Pavlovsky
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