Since the last Roberto Cavalli show, a majority interest in the company has been acquired by Marquee Brands, a management company whose holdings include BCBG, Laura Ashley, and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Like Marc Jacobs, which was recently acquired by WHP Group, Cavalli is the luxury jewel at the top of its new owner’s crown. Residences and hospitality projects may be in its future.
Fausto Puglisi, who’s optimistic by nature, is feeling sanguine about what comes next at Cavalli. It shows in a resort collection that takes as its main motif a playful archival eye print to which he added images of rose blossoms and precious gems. The print appears on a range of silhouettes from ruffled slip dresses to stretch jersey numbers and jeans—for all the different types of women Cavalli is attracting, not just the Glamazon types previously associated with it, but also a substantial Gen Z contingent.
“Escapism is extremely important to our customers,” Puglisi said of the label’s base; hence the zebra prints on shorts and chiffon blouses, the wetlook mermaid-scales on stretch mesh separates, and the peacock feather patterns on a cocktail dress. Cavalli started as a print maker. Where Puglisi puts his own stamp on things is with the clothes’ attitude. You’ve heard of executive realness—well, he’s honing a kind of party-girl realness. A prime example: the pink crocodile dévoré velvet slip dress worn over a pair of the eye print jeans.
