Backstage at Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2011

We were able to go backstage at Roberto Cavalli and watch the hair- and make-up team transforming the models in Cavalli-beauties. We actually spotted a new way of killing time at the models: reading thick novels. Our fashion-booklist will follow soon!

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2011

It was a typical Roberto Cavalli-show, full of boho-chic in muddy colors, faded animalprints and thin layers.
Cavalli took last season’s hippie babe and pushed her forward a decade for a futuristic Eighties/baroque mash-up. There were some tribal elements (feathers, prints) and the models hungrily stalked the catwalk like they were recovering from an all-night rager. Also present were strong-shouldered jackets over pants and short drop-waist dresses.  They were over-embellished and rendered in a myriad of ways: spliced, sliced, fringed, feathered and beaded, in a palette of gold, bronze, blacks and blood red.  Cavalli explored a different sort of decadence by night with gowns skewing from gothic to ethereal.

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan SS2011

With his spring/summer collection for 2010 Roberto Cavalli celebrated 40 years in fashion. The man that brought us sexy, fluid dresses in all kinds of animal-prints,bohemian  rockstar-clothes in python or crocodile and the real Italian style did not opt for a retrospective show. He invited a lot of his favorite models though and some were even walking in the show, like Laetitia Casta and Natalia Vodianova.

The others, Nadege and Heid Klum, watched the show front row together with Taylor Swift, Leona Lewis and Elisabetta Canalis.  They saw a very condensed collection that consisted of four things Cavalli is known for: long fringes, long dresses, catsuits and python(prints). Hip-hugging bellbottoms and long webby skirts were worn with tops that left hips, back and bellies exposed. Underneath the models wore bikini-tops. They looked like tribal hippies with their flat ironed hair.

The collection had nothing to do with color or minimalism, as we’ve seen elsewhere in Milan this week. This was Roberto’s own trip and he used his signature elements well.

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

Three ninjas dressed in black dramatically lit a big Olympic Flame at the courtyard of the Palazzo del Senato’s courtyard – it marked the start of the Roberto Cavalli show but also the celebration of his 40th anniversary.

Instead of digging into his heritage of rich hippie westcoast rock-dandy dressing a la Lenny Kravitz (those were the most interesting and exciting collections of Cavalli) the designer got stuck in black/white/blue suits mixed with animalprints at shirts and kerchiefs. Wild were the pants and shirts with big flowerprints Cavalli saw in Indonesia – but somehow it all looked too uninspired and a bit hurried. It’s a pity, because men’s fashion can use some spicy stuff.

Forty years of Roberto Cavalli

This year fashion label Roberto Cavalli celebrates it’s fortieth birthday. 2010 also happens to be the year in which designer Roberto Cavalli himself, like many of his first customers, turns seventy. Time to take a look back on Cavalli’s work from over the years.

Roberto Cavalli, who started working in fashion just to make some money, became first known for his printing techniques. After he had been hired by great fashion labels he decided he could just as well do it on his own. He set up his own fashion label.

Cavalli’s first collections were best described as boho- and hippie-chic. He knew innovative techniques to use silk and leather. His designs were ultra-feminine and heavily decorated and they were loved by the wealthy people in Saint-Tropez (his first boutique was also opened there).

After a small downfall Cavalli makes a comeback in de nineties, by that time assisted by his – much younger – wife Eva Duringer. His clothes, best known for their outstanding animal prints, embroideries and other embellishments are worn by the rich and the famous. All of those women confident, sexy and super glamorous. (The reason Cavalli women are so often referred to as glamazones).

Celebrities proved to be a great way of promoting the brand. Victoria Beckham, Jade Jagger, Hally Berry, El Macferson and Jennifer Lopez were often spotted in Roberto Cavalli’s designs. They were the ideal women to promote Cavalli’s clothes, cause with their sex appeal and confidence they can perfectly show off Cavalli’s fearless designs.

After years of glamorous collections Roberto Cavalli decided to move in a new direction. The past few years he has slightly changed his designs away from the limelight. Cavalli’s so well-known animal prints sometimes were not used at all or, like in his latest collection, were used in a faded variant. His colors have become less outspoken and his heels – from time to time – even turned to flats. Cavalli introduced suits and overalls and with his boyish designs he showed a more subtle sexy. The new Cavalli woman proved to be less of a show-off, but Cavalli has kept his customers satisfied.

Judging from how Roberto Cavalli is doing now we think he’ll have no problem celebrating the brands fiftieth anniversary in ten years. Cause although he admitted he’s less of a party animal, Cavalli (thanks to his wife Eva) is still going strong. But let’s first just celebrate the clothes he made over the past forty years. We selected the most eye-catching, showstopping pieces out of Cavalli’s last ten collections. Enjoy!

Cavalli has big plans for his label’s fortieth anniversary and is working on a book about his career in fashion. We’ll keep you posted!

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

It was a every inch a very decadent show at Roberto Cavalli. But decadency is part of the house’s dna. And like more designers in Milan, Cavalli celebrated his roots (he’s 40 years in business no, and yes the guy is 70) and went back to the early days when he was designing for the happy, hippie few.

Cavalli’s fw2010 collection was  shaped around the rich hippie, bohemian look of his early days in the seventies. Lots of harem pants, draped dresses in tulle, long floorsweeping dresses, brocaded military coats, jackets in studded leather, faded animal-prints and embroideries all over. Colors were dark and rich (black, white, gray, red), the styling was mix & match.

Just Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2010

At today’s presentation of the Just Cavalli winter collection it was clear this line is aimed at young customers. Primary colors like blue, red and yellow were visible in almost every look. They were there in some leopard printed house pants and on a few crazy printed leggings. Even the fur on some coats came in those colors. Besides, some of the skirts and dresses were pretty short, teenage short you might say.

Fortunately Roberto Cavalli was able to add some sophistication to his collection as well. He designed some romantic, transparent blouses with ruffles on the neckline and on the sleeves. Yet we didn’t really get the sort of bib he added on top of those blouses. It had it’s own ruffles and details and seemed to be tied at the models’ backs.

The crazy mixing continued when we saw wide belts, matched with short skirts and small jackets with pointy shoulders and fur collars, all in a different print.

By adding some tartan prints, multiple fans, necklaces with huge pendants and several patchwork sweaters Roberto Cavalli proved he dares to experiment. Though we admire his courage we advice to combine his items with more basics.

Milan Catwalk Fashion show fw2010: Roberto Cavalli

The Roberto Cavalli fashion show was a mix of several themes. There were military influences and Victorian details. Yet the show was also very Cavalli due to the use of jaguar prints.

One piece of clothing really stood out: tartan trousers, cut just under the knee. Those trousers came by in a few variations matched with large coats, metal mash tank tops or velour’s jackets. One metallic top had such a detailed pattern that the material resembled lace fabric.

Roberto Cavalli accentuated the men’s body in the right way with this collection; small at the bottom and wide at the top. So his trousers were tight and his big jackets had emphasized shoulders and XL collars with often, not one but two, fur layers.

The models wore shiny shoes in different shades. Their feminine metal belts had all sorts of frills and therefore were real showpieces.

The use of military as a theme may not have been quite renewing. Yet overall the Cavalli collection was creative and sophisticated.

Milan Catwalk Fashion Show fw2010: Roberto Cavalli

Woven leather pants with metallic mesh tops at Roberto Cavalli, topped with plaid shirts and rugged parkas.

Roberto Cavalli Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

‘Romance’ is the first word that comes to mind when you see the ss2010 collection of Roberto Cavalli. Airy dresses with flower-patterns came down the runway and were often mixed with blouses and menswear.  Due to this layering the collection lacked a real summer-feeling.  Almost every top or jacket had long sleeves. Pants were often too long to see what kind of shoes were worn.  All models had a small scarf tightly wrapped around their neck and long braids. Sometimes it felt like the countryside. Every model carried her own small handbag, subtly squeezed between her arms and waist. At the end the clothes felt a little bit  like summer when white dresses and more skin were shown. With calm colors like grey, dark blue and beige and little nudity this collection of Roberto and Eva Cavalli looked very honest and sophisticated. (Tess van Daelen)

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