Roberto Cavalli, the Italian designer synonymous with vibrant animal prints and sand-blasted denim, has died in Florence. He was 83 years old.
Born in Florence, Cavalli studied textile print before going on to launch his fashion brand in 1970. He presented his first collection for Prêt-à-Porter in Paris at age 30. It was there that his work, which included a revolutionary printing procedure on leather that he invented and patented, quickly garnered the notice of fashion industry mainstays including Pierre Cardin. He went on to open his first boutique in Saint-Tropez in 1972, and was soon after invited to present at the Sala Bianca in Florence.
Throughout his career, the Roberto Cavalli brand became synonymous with bold, brightly-coloured dresses oozing in sex appeal, heavy use of animal prints and innovative approach to fabrics. He went on to introduce additional lines, including RC Menswear, Just Cavalli, which was marketed to a younger consumer, and a children’s collection. The brand also expanded into hospitality, opening its Cavalli Café in Florence in 2002, a concept it eventually brought to other cities, including Milan and Miami.
In the last decade, his company has faced a series of challenges: In 2014, it began posting annual losses. In 2015, the Cavalli family sold 90 percent of the business to private equity firm Clessidra Capital Partners. In 2019, it closed its US stores and laid off 93 employees. It filed for bankruptcy in Italy in March 2019. The company went on to be acquired by Dubai-based real estate devloper Vision Investment Co. LLC later that same year.
The Cavalli collections are currently designed by Fausto Puglisi.
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