Roberto Cavalli

The Label : Cavalli started back in the 70s. What had been a fad became a trend and eventually a cult, as the Cavalli way of dressing transcended almost into a way of being.

From the Hollywood stars to the customers who bought his clothes in the shops, the Roberto Cavalli style was, and still is, instantly recognisable.

The style, which is slightly dramatic and theatrical whilst immensely flattering of the female form, consistently utilises the latest technologies to create patterns and a palette of vibrant colours, which are always being renewed.

In a sharp series of oppositions a particular harmony is formed as an inter-play of varying excesses takes place, opposing one to another as extremes balance out each other.

The Look : Cavalli is synonymous with glam and rock. Look to Cavalli for colour, and lots of it. A genius when it comes to leather, his designs are wild, sexy, erotic and fluid. His methods vary (leather, denim, silk, feathers) but the results are often unforgettable.

The Designer : Born in 1940 in Florence into an extremely artistic family, Roberto Cavalli enrolled aged 17 at the institute of Art of Florence.

His grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi was a prolific painter and part of the Macchiaioli Tuscan Movement, his work is still exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery to this day. Cavalli followed in his creative footsteps when he chose to specialise in the textile applications of paint.

His first creations, floral motifs on knitwear were a huge success and caught the attention of the major Italian hosiery industries.

By the age of 30, Cavalli presented his first collection bearing his name at the Salon for Pret-a-Porter, which led to his taking part in the official presentation of the collections at the Pitti Palace in Florence, swiftly followed by a catwalk show in Milan. On the catwalk his style and flair were evident, with leather patchwork and prints on denim and ornate decorations using precious metals in brocades, python, zebra and leopard prints.

So began his attraction for animal prints that today has become his brand signature. Appreciated by the most fashionable jet set, a young Brigitte Bardot wandered barefooted in Saint Tropez (where the fashion designer opened his first boutique in 1972) wearing his sparkling and sumptuous creations.

In September 1994, Cavalli presented his new jeans collection in Milan. Already by December of the same year, a boutique had been opened in Saint Barth in the French Caribbean, followed by one in Venice and another in Saint Tropez.

A diffusion line - Just Cavalli - was founded in 1998 and further to this came RC Menswear, Angels and Devils (a line of children clothing), Class for knitwear, Freedom for casual, two underwear collections, one beachwear, shoes, eyewear, watches, perfumes and an interior design line for the home.

More information : www.robertocavalli.net