Updated: Sicilian designer Fausto Puglisi has been appointed as creative consultant at Roberto Cavalli. The top job at the Italian label has been vacant since Paul Surridge exited last year, after succeeding Peter Dundas, and the collections have been designed by the in-house creative team in recent months.
With this new gig, all design functions across Roberto Cavalli will be under Puglisi’s responsibility. He will begin his new role immediately, and debut his first collection in January 2021. Indeed, he’s already been teasing details of the designs on his Instagram page.
“I am honored and proud to carry on the legacy of this extraordinary brand and, above all, to continue to support Roberto Cavalli’s image of glamour and refinement”, Puglisi said in a release. “I want to develop my ideas of inclusion, beauty, and amplify the dialogue between cultures, diversity, and multiplied aesthetics. This is a unique opportunity to write a new chapter in Cavalli’s history, continuing to celebrate the legacy of Italian craftsmanship and excellence.”
According to reports, Puglisi has been tipped for a gig at the helm since 2017, before Surridge took up the title. In the last few days, whispers came as Puglisi posted a close-up image on his Instagram Stories teasing a new design project, and he recently shared an image on his feed of a roaring leopard (a print synonymous with the Italian brand). Roberto Cavalli’s senior designer Nicolas Martin Garcia commented underneath some recent posts, further spiking the rumor mill.
Roberto Cavalli was recently bought over by Hussain Sajwani, who is looking to relaunch the glamorous label and restore it to prominence, so the introduction of a new creative lead really is key right now.
Puglisi also operates his own successful eponymous label, which is sold in some 160 boutiques around the world. His opulent designs have found him fans in Jennifer Lopez, Blake Lively, Emily Ratajkowski, Zendaya, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Kerry Washington, Priyanka Chopra, and Hailee Steinfeld, among many others.
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