Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence the 15th November, 1940 .  His father was killed in World War II when Roberto was a small child.  Roberto was raised in his grandfather’s house where he absorbed the family’s strong artistic traditions.  Roberto was profoundly influenced by his grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi, a Florentine painter from the “Macchiaiolo” movement whose works can still be seen at the Uffizi Museum .  To help with the family expenses, Roberto’s mother Marcella turned her love of art into a small business and began hand-painting and selling one of a kind dresses, and she also served as a source of inspiration.  As a young man, Roberto attended the Academy of Art in Florence where his impulsive and eclectic love of art received more formal training.

Following in the family tradition, Roberto soon began experimenting with art and fashion.  He began by hand painting his designs on t-shirts, and as the demand grew, he developed new systems of printing patterns on t-shirts and knitwear.  Ultimately, he created a one of a kind printing technique that allowed patterns to be applied to individual pieces of knitwear with no interruption in the design.  This became so successful, and demand increased to such an extent that in 1966 the first Roberto Cavalli factory opened outside of Florence .

Tenacious and proud - a Scorpio through and through - Roberto Cavalli refused for years to bow to the dictate of the prevailing fashion, choosing to run as an outsider in order to defend his creativity.  As the fashion system moved to Milan and became increasingly dominated by industry and commerce, Roberto continued to work on his printing techniques, and focused more on experimentation and inspiration than on the dictates of commerce.

In this moment of fashion minimalism, Roberto Cavalli’s use of color and texture create a new desire for things that are imaginative, bright, and sexy. His creations began to create a growing demand, and this success, both publicly and with the press, convinced him to take his runway extravaganzas to Milano Collezioni.  In this way he has become part of the Italian fashion system without ever forsaking his own inimitable and unconventional style. 

Roberto continues to experiment and begins to use photography in his printing, often choosing images of nature as inspiration, which offers the designer a never ending assortment of subjects:  a spiderweb on a leaf, a patterned animal skin, a butterfly wing, tropical fish, and coral.  His fashions show how these natural motifs can be transformed into a pattern and a garment that make women feel strong and seductive. 

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