Milan Fashion Week | Roberto Cavalli Spring Summer 2022

The animal kingdom is quaking. Tigers, lions, and zebras, oh my—Roberto Cavalli’s Spring/Summer 2022 runway takes a strutting walk on the wild side, under the creative helm of Fausto Puglisi. With very few jungle animals left out, the collection features prints and patterns aplenty. Displaying a well balanced mix of structured shoulders and blazers with flowing gowns and robes, each piece holds a sleek appeal and exudes power, up to par with the strength of the animals themselves.

Milan Fashion Week | Roberto Cavalli Spring Summer 2022

Sequins and darker tones in black and deep purple, accompanied of course by a plethora of animal prints, devise an impressive fusion of sex appeal and luxury that is nothing if not fierce. Delicate floral embroidery on structured midi skirts and long coats is juxtaposed with leather and cheetah print detailing, ensuring a powerful moment of femininity. With a zebra interior and rich magenta and floral exterior, one long coat seamlessly pairs multiple aspects of nature. Unraveling at the seams, the coat, along with a pantsuit of the same fabric, adds an edgy effect to an otherwise delicate pattern.

The true showstoppers, however, were the gowns. In sequins and jewels, with feathers and cut-out forms, in neon yellow and bedazzled animal prints—the flowing forms balanced beautifully with structured elements, like a strong shoulder or a metallic embellishment. Cavalli plays with vibrant teals, yellows, oranges, and pinks, proving the bold abilities of color.

Roberto Cavalli SS22

In 2021, a young generation of female designers is redefining sexy. How does a male designer a generation older than them take on the subject of sexy when his remit is to rebrand the sexy of a generation before his own? If that sounds complicated, then you have a picture of the task at hand for Fausto Puglisi, who was appointed to Roberto Cavalli a year ago and presented his first runway show in Milan tonight.

He wears the burden lightly. In fact, it’s fair to say this is Puglisi’s dream gig. He’s never shied away from in-your-face glamour, but he’s quick to make a distinction between Cavalli-era Cavalli and his own. “We need to go out, we need to have fun,” he announced backstage. “But I’m thinking about a wardrobe of separates.” The show’s opening look was a strappy cut-away minidress in wavy strips of black lace and patent leather, but from there he got straight to his point about separates, pairing a leopard catsuit with a zebra stripe trench or a tiger-print bodysuit with a matching 1950s full skirt.