I was truly curious to see, as I got on a lift taking me to a 9th-floor penthouse in the centre of Milan, what the FW13 collection of Roberto Cavalli would look like. It was clear as you stepped out of the lift that you were walking into Cavalli territory – tons of velvet, pony skin, gold and glass in dark rich colours introduced Daniele Cavalli's story of 70's rock and roll from a contemporary perspective.
In the two years he's been in charge of menswear the super talented son of Roberto Cavalli has found a way to marry an Italian aesthetic with strong musical influences, especially those of British rock and roll. This season he decided to wave the runway show and create a gentlemen's club atmosphere to make a statement about style instead of fashion.
One of the key elements of the collection was the teleidoscopic prints – not to be confused with kaleidoscopic, a teleidoscope is used to create patterns from objects outside the instrument and not from items inside it. We were all given our own one to see the world from a Cavalli perspective. The printed shirts and ties truly striking as they played with the brand's signature motifs – snakeskin, florals, feathers – in a different way. The tailoring, in contrast, was more sober and beautifully finished. I especially loved some of the details such as the jewelled buttons that substituted ties.
My absolute favourites were the jackets. Whether they leaned towards outer or eveningwear, I want them all. Special mention deserve the three pieces below, which combine urban elements – denim, the varsity jacket, the biker jacket – with luxury materials like python or crocodile. In the evening department, I especially loved the mandarin collar jacket with the beaded trim and the also beaded wrap velvet jacket.
It was hard to go back to the real world after been inside Cavalli's for so long. The Cavalli gentlemen's club should become a permanent feature in Milan.
Courtesy of Roberto Cavalli
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