Italian Designer Roberto Cavalli Dead at 83

Prolific Italian designer Roberto Cavalli died at the age of 83 in Florence on Friday, leaving behind a much-adored legacy of glamorous and flamboyant fashion.

“It is with great sadness that today we say our final goodbyes to our founder Roberto Cavalli,” the designer’s label wrote on Instagram. “From humble beginnings in Florence, Roberto succeeded in becoming a globally recognized name loved and respected by all.”

“Naturally talented and creative, Roberto believed that everyone can discover and nurture the artist within themselves,” the message continued. “Roberto Cavalli’s legacy will live on via his creativity, his love of nature and via his family who he cherished.”

 

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Galvanized by his grandfather (Giuseppe Rossi, a leading figure of the Macchiaioli movement), Cavalli enrolled in Florence’s Art Institute, where he attracted the eyes of Italy’s hosiery factories for his breakthrough floral knits, in the 1960s. With a developed technique, the burgeoning designer invented and patented a new printing procedure for leather in the early 1970s, which quickly garnered commissions from powerhouse brands like Hermès, per BoF.

Cavalli was 30 years old when he showcased his first namesake collection inside Paris’ Salon for Prêt-à-Porter. His boisterous prints and intarsia leathers were well-received, so he opened his first store, dubbed “Limbo,” in Saint Tropez in 1972. Finding quick success, the designer received an invitation to show his next designs in Florence’s Sala Bianca, alongside storied names like Fendi and Missoni.

Cavalli married Eva Düringer, who would later become his business partner, in 1980. The duo closely collaborated on Cavalli’s brand, and Düringer was named creative director of her husband’s label in 1994. That was the same year that the designer debuted the first sand-blasted jeans, and it was also the same year he opened new retail outposts in Saint Barth and Venice.

Cavalli’s name would become a Milan Fashion Week staple, known for his tasteful usage of extravagant animal prints, like those of leopards and snakes. One of his most-lauded shows, however, took place in the early aughts at Florence’s Ponte Vecchio during Pitti Uomo, where the historical landmark acted as the stunning backdrop for his hometown return.

In 2002, Cavalli opened his Just Cavalli Cafè in Milan’s Branca Tower, pioneering a new method of reaching his consumers. At the tail-end of the 2000s, he also opened a club inside a deconsecrated church in Florence.

Cavalli released a biography titled Just Me! in 2014, with the hope of inspiring people to chase their dreams. “I screwed everybody over — I have been an amazing actor,” the designer told WWD at the time. “With this book, people will discover a Roberto Cavalli that you don’t expect, because the recital is over, so I take the stage and introduce the real me.”

“This is not a book about fashion, it is about a boy from a modest family who achieved success thanks to his strong willpower,” he added.

Cavalli slowly exited fashion in 2015, handing over the creative reins of his company to Peter Dundas. At that time, Italian firm Clessidra SGR also took over the designer’s label. Dundas only remained in the role for two years, much like his predecessor, Paul Surridge, who claimed the top creative seat in 2017. Vision Investment Co. LLC took over the company in 2019, and Fausto Puglisi is now designing Cavalli’s collections.

“Dear Roberto, you may not be physically here with us anymore but I know I will feel your spirit with me always,” said Puglisi, who became creative director in October 2020. “It is the greatest honor of my career to work under your legacy and to create for the brand you founded with such vision and style. Rest in peace you will be missed and you are loved by so many that your name will continue on, a beacon of inspiration for others, and especially for me.”