If you do a quick search of Roberto Cavalli you’ll likely see that he is listed as both a designer and inventor. It is for this reason that he exists as one of my favorite Italian designers. Only two days ago, Cavalli was announced deceased, but his time as creative director had ended over a decade prior. During his time as creative director Cavalli was known for his flamboyant, animal print-laden, sultry style. But beyond the visual aspect, Cavalli revolutionized the production system, inventing his own method of printing on leather and sandblasting denim. Both Hermès and Pierre Cardin sought the application of his leather printing process, eventually pushing him to launch his ready-to-wear line in the 70s.

Cavalli established himself as a giant in the industry, flaunting larger-than-life prints, often made from his own photography. However, it was his interest in the natural world that allowed him to grow his brand. By integrating natural patterns like fish scales, with human creations like sequins, he created a versatile expression known for catering to a variety of women. Cavalli engaged in fashion not as a designer, but as an artist, revealing the true, intended form of textiles.

Cavalli established himself as a giant in the industry, flaunting larger-than-life prints, often made from his own photography. However, it was his interest in the natural world that allowed him to grow his brand. By integrating natural patterns like fish scales, with human creations like sequins, he created a versatile expression known for catering to a variety of women. Cavalli engaged in fashion not as a designer, but as an artist, revealing the true, intended form of textiles. His work as an artist existed within the context of a complicated legacy. His mother a seamstress and his father an artist, Cavalli suffered under the terrors of the Nazi regime. With his father’s death as a victim of the 1944 Cavriglia massacre, he was no stranger to the most extreme consequences of bold expression. But his father’s work within the Macchiaioli movement draws a heavy parallel to his own, both art forms seeking to invigorate and celebrate the natural world. The juxtaposition of color and light was a focal point of the Macchiaioli movement, effectively revolutionizing Italian art and predating French impressionism. Cavalli’s work exists in a similar category, with his inventive nature creating both a printing and distressing process that transformed the fashion industry. He cited his work as being his way of “copying God” with God being “the most fantastic designer”.

At his height in the 1990s, Cavalli dressed the biggest names in the world, from Naomi Campbell to Jennifer Lopez. He admitted a reverence for celebrities in fashion, crediting them for kickstarting creativity. But his bold expression didn’t stop once it reached a celebrity closet. He was known for making an entrance, as he owned a purple helicopter and a zebra-print boat. This eccentric lifestyle cemented Cavalli as a standout figure in fashion. His lifestyle and art, coupled with his innovation are destined to survive him, forming an inescapable legacy.