Roberto Cavalli will have 70 candles on his birthday cake today. He also celebrated his 40th anniversary as a designer this year.  Congratulations!

I had never really thought about Cavalli’s designs until I began reading about what he pioneered.   He began as a textile printer for an Italian knitwear line.  He designed a series of floral prints that caught the attention of  several hosiery companies.

In the early 70′s he  invented and  patented a new way to print leather and began to piece them together.  Hermes and Pierre Cardin immediately commissioned pieces from him.  He then started his own fashion house  featuring bright flamboyant fabrics that appealed to the trendsetters.   In 1992 he featured sand blasted denim – I didn’t know  that  was HIS idea.  He is still sandblasting jeans only updating them.

Mr. Cavalli has come under criticism because he hasn’t changed in 40 years.  He has stayed consistent, and knows his target audience.   So then the question for his critics is, “Why should he change?”

In an interview he once said, “My fashion has become a success because other designers have become so monotonous.”  It is true that his style is anything but monotonous.

I love every bit of it.

Let’s look at some Cavalli shoes.

Classic Cavalli.   Thigh High Boots $4240 at Net-a-Porter Do you love these or what!

Feather Embellished Sandals $1075 at Net-a-Porter

Spider web sandals $564 at Farfetch.com

To celebrate I am going to wear a fringed animal print top to the Beatles Love show.  Happy Birthday Roberto!

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