Please don't change

On his recent visit to India, iconic Italian designer to the stars, Roberto Cavalli said he's glad Bollywood isn't tainted by the red carpet brand war

This week, focus on
>> Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli
>> How you can help 26/11 terror victims thanks to a T-shirt
>> Sabyasachi Mukherjee's pret line

On his recent visit to India, iconic Italian designer to the stars, Roberto Cavalli said he's glad Bollywood isn't tainted by the red carpet brand war

Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli with wife Eva. pic/Subhash Barolia

He is a mere victim of his epic image. The news that Roberto Cavalli is on his way to a party spreads like wild fire, his flamboyant confidence makes him stand out in a crowd even if he's shrouded in black. He is the only speaker to stroll in 20 minutes late for a talk on Bollywood versus Holly-wood at a luxury conference, and you hardly mind that, given his iconic status and well-cultivated sense of humour.

The embodiment of one-world marketing, Roberto Cavalli, the Italian fashion designer who's dressed the likes of Madonna, Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow was in New Delhi to attend the International Herald Tribune's Sustainable Luxury Conference, with a handpicked entourage that included wife Eva and personal assistant Massimo.

An AV ran clippings of red carpet appearances by Hollywood divas and "best friends" Sharon Stone, Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez, along with Indian headliners Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai and Riddhima Kapoor, all dressed in luxuriant Cavalli gowns.

For the head of fiercely inventive brand that has thrived on the buoyancy of wild prints (botanical and animal), and danced to sensuality and colour, Cavalli was surprisingly dressed down in a slate grey jacket slipped over a dark shirt, which he unbottoned to sit and scan an audience through his photo-chromatic glares.

"To me, India means a culture of colours, craftsmanship, techniques... which is not very different from Italy.

Fashion too has culture. Women need to feel special, spirited, sexual. Eva speaks better English than me... perhaps she should speak," said the 69 year-old in a heavy Italian accent punctuating his sentences with long pauses.

His wife Eva has been his companion and business partner for the last 29 years, (he even introduced special
edition sunglasses, and named them after her) and at gatherings like these, also a communicator of his thoughts. "Everyone wants to look beautiful. Unlike Hollywood, which is driven by PR machinery that culminates into business, and where actresses seek assurances about how they look, actresses here are warm, interactive and spontaneous. Bollywood hasn't been contaminated by brands, yet," she smiles, while Cavalli chips in with, "Yes, please don't change."u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

While the fashion world trips over itself in a bid to get a star to sport their label, for him, dressing up Hollywood actresses for an event like the Oscars, is strictly business. "It's not a pleasure anymore! And yes, international designers pay actresses to wear their clothes," he admits reluctantly, looking at Eva to add, "She is my conscience."

With Aishwarya opting for Cavalli gowns for the Cannes Film festival in 2008, and the Berlin premiere of Pink Panther 2 recently, the brand's highly idiosyncratic styleu00a0 has shattered geographical barriers to acquire an aspiration status among upwardly mobile Indian shoppers.

Unlike Hollywood, which is driven by PR machinery, and where actresses constantly seek assurance about how good they look, Indian actresses are warm, spontaneous.
Eva

Dressing up Hollywood actresses for red carpet events like the Oscars, is not a necessity for a label like ours. But it is a big positive, since the publicity does wonders for the brand.
Roberto

Cavalli on quote

On being stylish
Fashion is a planet. Everybody should indulge in being fashionable, not because you want to own a Cavalli or any other designer, but to be yourself.

On stars wearing his label
Jennifer Lopez loves me. She wears my clothes. She is my best friend. But I can't expect her to wear my clothes every time she walks the red carpet. It's actually rare to find an actress who chooses to stick to one designer/brand since the competition is immense.u00a0

On his signature Leopard print
Leopard print is a symbol of my success. I started my career with that print. I love nature. I love the dress of animals.

On top models
For me, models are just pieces of wood that I carve to make clothes look beautiful. I prefer working with artists such as P Diddy instead of professional clotheshorses.

Sabya launches new pret collection this Wednesday
Sabyasachi Mukherjee's Indian pret range is a fusion of conventional styles and contemporary designs. The collection comprises handwoven sarees, lehengas and kurti sets in Khadi, cottons, and hand-dyed textiles from Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Price range: Rs 8,000 onwards
At: Aza, 21 Altamount Road, near Kemps Corner.
Call: 23530212

Bombay meri jaan
This super-soft, 100% cotton, I Love Bombay tee has found a mention in The Moment, the New York Times Style magazine, and appeals to the "wear your heart on your sleeves" customer. Priced at Rs 950, this modest piece of garment allows you to do your bit for victims of the 26/11 terror attack since all sale proceeds will go to a terror fund.
To buy, log on to: https://bombayelectric.in/women/tshirts/i-love-bombay-womens.html