Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence the 15 November 1940. He was raised in modest surroundings but with strong artistic traditions. His mother was a tailor and his grandfather a Florentine impressionist painter, whose works can still be seen at the Uffizi Museum. Following in this tradition Roberto frequented the Academy of Art.

Capricious, eclectic, and from the beginning original, he began his career at a young age whilst still a student, inventing along with a friend - just for fun on a ping-pong table - the first of his revolutionary creations: a process of printing on light-weight leather which he was able to do thanks to his meticulous research of fabrics and continual experimentation with new technologies.

In his printing-house - something half way between a craftsman's workshop and an artist's studio - he concentrated his studies on the links between art, fashion and painting, eventually patenting the revolutionary process of printing on leather that he had evolved. Over the next ten years he created, almost by chance, what was to become a "must" for the beat generation: for fun, sewing together odd pieces of leather he invented the first of his patchworks which were a huge success and can honestly be considered true classics.

With the Seventies came international recognition and the beginning of a brilliant career.
His fashion was unrivalled on the Cote d'Azur. From St. Tropez - where a young Brigitte Bardot walked barefoot in one of his creations - to the cat-walks, was just a short step. In 1972 Roberto Cavalli showed his first collection in the historic White Room of Palazzo Pitti in Florence. It led to a real scandal. On the catwalk were models wearing patchwork on denim, a fabric snubbed by the straight-laced Florentines and to this day preferred by working men and cowboys.

Tenacious and proud - a scorpio through and through - Roberto Cavalli refused for years to bow to the diktat of the prevailing fashion, choosing to run as an outsider in order to defend his creativity from any preconceived ideas..

At the beginning of the Nineties the designer relaunched his challenge to the fashion system, assisted by his beautiful wife, Eva Duringer - an ex Miss Universe - who works alongside him. His enormous success, both publicly and with the press, convinced him to take his catwalk extravaganza to MilanoCollezioni. In this way he has become part of the Italian fashion system without ever foresaking his own inimitable eccentricity.

Over the years Roberto Cavalli has expanded and as well as his Womenswear collection, new lines have been launched: Menswear, Just Cavalli (a line for youngsters), Underwear, Class (a knitwear collection), Freedom (the casual line), Eyewear, Timewear, Angels (a line for children from 4 to 14) and most recently, Homewear.

An inspiration to the international jet-set, Roberto Cavalli is taken for granted by stars all over the world. Eclectic, social and ironic by nature, as a designer he sets himself apart through his natural vivaciousness and extreme cordiality - as well as his proverbial hospitality which makes him the perfect host of parties and dinners.

Like all good Tuscans, he loves to surround himself with friends to celebrate not only his successes but even the smallest occasion: for Roberto Cavalli any reason is a good reason to celebrate with a friend. As well as his brilliant career as a designer he is equally well-known for his spectacular parties, which are always attended by Italian and international celebrities. Ornella Muti, Anna Oxa, Nancy Brilli, Jennifer Lopez, Mena Suvari, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Cindy Crawford, Cher, Zucchero, Linus, Lenny Kravitz, Bono from U2, Anthony Hopkins and Sting are among the artists who appreciate his work and never miss one of his parties.

An undisputed phenomenon, nowadays Roberto Cavalli is a mainstay in the Olimpus of the most famous international designers. A success for which he prepared, meditated and wholeheartedly deservered.

Credit: modaitalia.net