Roberto Cavalli shoes

                                                                   




Without Roberto Cavalli, the rock star look would still consist of tight leather pants and a hairy chest. Cavalli's untamed extravagance has made furs, feathers and leather patchworks the staple of show-stopping jet setters. If you're famous and want to be noticed, no other label will do.

His creations with denim and printed leather have always stood at the fringe until recently, as he became one of the most original and sought-out designers around. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys always ask Cavalli to design their tour costumes, while David Beckham, Bono and Lenny Kravitz are among his biggest fans.

Roberto Cavalli was born on November 15, 1940, to a Florentine family of humble means. His mother was a tailor and his grandfather a well-known impressionist painter, both artistic influences that would direct his vocation.

While studying at the Florence Academy of Art, he started experimenting with T-shirt prints, and just for the hell of it, conceived new ways of printing onto other fabrics. It all started when Cavalli and a fellow student discovered how to print on leather, the first time this was ever done.

Cavalli is known for using wild animal prints and sexualized cuts in his design, leading to comparisons with designer Gianni Versace and his popularity with many young celebrities, such as Victoria Beckham, with whom he famously signed an exclusive dressing contract. He is also known for his lavish lifestyle. He owns several houses and villas and is married to a former Miss Universe runner-up, Eva Duringer of Austria, with whom he has had one child and two from a previous marriage. Many of his runway collections are inspired by items in his homes. Cavalli aroused controversy in 2006 as the first designer to quickly publicly announce that he wanted Kate Moss as the face of his Spring 2006 collection very soon after her infamous drug scandal broke. Moss had already been the spokesmodel for Cavalli's Spring 2005 campaign a year earlier. He has been designing outfits for Shakira's Oral Fixation Tour, and her Red Carpet appearances as well. He also recently designed outfits for Christina Aguilara's tour.