Roberto Cavalli was an Italian fashion designer known for his bold prints and inventive styles.
- Died: April 12, 2024 (Who else died on April 12?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Florence, Italy after a period of declining health at the age of 83.
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Roberto Cavalli’s legacy
Born in Florence during World War II, Cavalli attended art school, where his fashion aspirations began as he learned to print on fabric. His first fashion success began with designs printed on knits, such as t-shirts, sweaters and hosiery. By the early 1970s, Cavalli had created a new process for printing on leather and suede, and he found an avid audience for his patchwork creations of leather and denim. He founded his self-titled fashion house in 1975 and quickly became known for bold styles, focusing on animal and flower prints.
Cavalli’s maximalist style fit into the 1970s well, but as high fashion trended to a sparer look in the 1980s, he fell out of fashion. Still, he continued to innovate, bringing new looks to denim in the 1980s and ‘90s via sandblasting and the addition of Lycra for stretch. His stretch denim was one of many techniques he used to make women’s clothing sexy, a key piece of his aesthetic.
By the turn of the millennium, Cavalli’s designs were hot again, and he had acquired notable celebrity fans. Beyonce, Lenny Kravitz and Cindy Crawford were among the many notables who loved and wore his designs. Miley Cyrus wore Cavalli for a recent video, and Taylor Swift wore his designs on her Eras tour.
Notable quote
“My clothes are always for the red carpet. Clothes to be worn to big parties. Personally, I love nature and colour. I am a positive person. I love to be cheerful, and I want to heal the world with a smile.” — from a 2015 interview with Alain Elkann
Tributes to Roberto Cavalli
Full obituary: The New York Times
