Roberto Cavalli stands as an embodiment of excess in an industry marked by minimalism. His extravagant Tuscan estate, racehorses stabled on it and 138-foot yacht convey an air of bohemian glamour and exotic elegance that set him apart. His printed denim, intarsia leather and bold prints were quickly accepted by the jet set, leading him to open his first boutique in Saint Tropez in 1972. Roberto Cavalli is famous for his bold animal prints crafted into striking garments. Born and raised in Florence, where his grandfather painted for the Macchiaioli group, Roberto studied silk printing at Accademia di Belle Arti before opening his own silk printing shop and applying his painterly techniques to fully fashioned garments as well as developing techniques for printing on leather.
