Roberto Cavalli, Italian Fashion Designer, Dead at 83: 'A Life Lived with Love'

Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli has died. He was 83 years old.

The fashion house confirmed the news on Instagram, writing, "A life lived with love. It is with great sadness that today we say our final goodbyes to our founder Roberto Cavalli. From humble beginnings in Florence, Roberto succeeded in becoming a globally recognised name loved and respected by all. Naturally talented and creative, Roberto believed that everyone can discover and nurture the artist within themselves. Roberto Cavalli's legacy will live on via his creativity, his love of nature and via his family who he cherished."

In the caption of the Instagram post, Fausto Puglisi, creative director at Roberto Cavalli, shared his own tribute to the late fashion industry icon.

“Dear Roberto, you may not be physically here with us anymore but I know I will feel your spirit with me always," Puglisi wrote. "It is the greatest honour of my career to work under your legacy and to create for the brand you founded with such vision and style. Rest in peace you will be missed and you are loved by so many that your name will continue on, a beacon of inspiration for others, and especially for me."

Sergio Azzolari, CEO at Roberto Cavalli, added, “The Roberto Cavalli company shares condolences with Mr. Cavalli’s family loss. His legacy remains a constant source of inspiration."

Italian news agency ANSA first reported that Cavalli died April 12 in his home in Florence after an illness.

Cavalli has long been known for his love of prints and presented his first namesake collection in the 1970s. He first burst onto the scene in St. Tropez, finding fans in celebrities like Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren. His penchant for everything over-the-top made his style perfect for the locale, but according to The New York Times, Cavalli largely remained only known in Europe and had yet to hit it big worldwide.

It was when he reinvigorated the denim industry in the '90s, though, that everything changed. He was one of the first to put Lycra fabric in jeans, making them have a tight, sexy fit. Naomi Campbell famously wore a pair during one of his runway shows in 1993, skyrocketing the trend to the top of the fashion conversation. Suddenly Cavalli had made it and everyone knew his name. And everyone wanted to be dressed by him.

In the years to follow, the creative genius put his flair for color and glam on everything from menswear and womenswear to eyewear, beachwear and even underwear.

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He was beloved by celebrities and was a mainstay on red carpets. Cavalli dressed many celebrities for the Met Gala, including Jessica Simpson in 2007, when she wore a plunging silver and gold number and walked the famed Met steps with Cavalli on her arm.

Celebrity fans like Victoria Beckham and Beyoncé also famously wore his designs in the early '00s and many A-listers continue to wear pieces from the house of Cavalli.

Cavalli, who was born Nov. 15, 1940, in Florence, has six children. His sixth child, Giorgio, was born in March 2023. He has been with his partner Sandra Nilsson since 2014 and was married twice previously.

Tributes began pouring in from the fashion world soon after the news broke of Cavalli's death. Fellow fashion designer Giorgio Armani shared a note via his fashion house's social media, writing, "I cannot imagine a vision of fashion more distant from mine than that of Roberto Cavalli, yet I have always had enormous respect for him: Roberto was a true artist, wild and wonderful in his use of prints, capable of transforming fantasy into seductive clothes. I have learnt with great sadness of his passing: his Tuscan verve will be greatly missed."

Beckham also shared a photo of herself with Cavalli on her Instagram Stories, writing, "So sorry to hear the sad news of Roberto's passing. He'll forever be an icon."