The king of leopard print, Italy's Roberto Cavalli, has passed away at the age of 83.

Italian fashion designerRoberto CavalliRoberto Cavalli, whose love for snake patterns and vibrant animal prints made him a favorite of the international public for many decades, passed away on Friday at the age of 83, announced the luxury company. "With deep regret and great sadness, the Roberto Cavalli house announces the passing of its founder, Roberto Cavalli," said a press release sent to AFP. "From humble beginnings in Florence, Mr. Cavalli became a globally recognized name, beloved and respected by all," the company added.

His creations first became known in the 1970s, when stars likeSophia LorenandBrigitte BardotThey started wearing them. The Cavalli style, which reveals the body and attracts attention, has become popular among younger celebrities, such asKim KardashianandJennifer LopezThe personal and public image of the designer evoked thoughts of a fairy tale: he was passionate about fast cars, thoroughbred horses, smoked expensive cigars, and wore shirts that left his tanned chest exposed due to unbuttoned buttons. His life, like a movie, was bright and vibrant: he was married to a titleholder of "Miss Universe," owned a purple helicopter and a vineyard inTuscany, and was on a first-name basis with stars like...Sharon StoneandCindy Crawford.

Nevertheless, the path to success has not always been smooth. In the 1980s, when minimalism took center stage on the runways, his closely sized and fluffy designs fell out of favor. A years-long process in Italy, where he faced accusations of tax evasion, ended with Cavalli being acquitted, but when his fashion house began to show losses, a controlling stake was sold to private investment funds in 2015.

To emphasize his unique qualities, the designer became famous for using printed leather and stretchy, sandy jeans. All of his creations consistently featured a bright, memorable style, and he unapologetically used animal print as a key element of his collections.

Born on November 15, 1940, in Florence, the main center of the leather industry in Italy, he started making money by painting on T-shirts while studying at art school. In his blog in 2012, he recalled how in 1970 he accidentally ended up at a party and, wanting to make a good impression on the host, who turned out to be a designer, told him that he printed on leather. When the designer asked to see his work the next day, Cavalli hurried to find samples of fine leather on which he had printed a floral design. The impressed designer immediately recognized Cavalli's talent and encouraged him towards further success.

Drawing inspiration from glove design, Cavalli began working with calfskin and patented a new method of printing on leather, which soon caught the attention of a French luxury fashion brand.Hermesand the late designerPierre CardinIn the 1970s, he opened a store in Saint-Tropez, a playground for the global elite, and presented his collection in Paris for the first time. Later, he showcased his works in the famous Palazzo Pitti in Florence, drawing attention with his boho-chic designs that combined casual fabrics with high fashion.

Cavalli, who has always amazed those around him with his bold prints, laughed about his collections, saying: "I love everything related to nature." In an interview with the magazineVogueIn 2011, he said: "I began to understand that even fish have fantastic colorful 'dresses,' like snakes and tigers. I realized that God is truly the best designer, and I started to copy Him." In the 1980s, his exotic and easily recognizable designs did not fit the ultra-modern minimalism of fashion, but just ten years later, Cavalli made a comeback thanks to chic distressed jeans, which became a hit once again.

His fashion empire has significantly expanded, covering areas such as home textiles, wine, shoes, accessories, and even a line of vodka, the bottle of which is wrapped in snake skin. In an effort to simplify his style and make it more accessible, he created a fast fashion line for the Swedish giant.H&Mand designed costumes for world stars, includingBeyoncéHowever, the company began to face financial difficulties due to increased competition from brands backed by powerful fashion conglomerates.LVMHandKeringIn 2013, Cavalli left his position as creative director.

Two years later, theMilan-based private investment companyHourglassI acquired a 90% stake in the company, but the reorganization did not resolve the financial issues. After filing for rehabilitation and closing its stores in the U.S., the fashion group was purchased in November 2019.Vision Investments, a private investment company of a Dubai billionaireHussein SadwaniRoberto Cavalli dressed global stars for several decades and was famous for his exotic prints featuring images of animals and feathers.