L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano Do they have an impact on your work? Yes! The essential artists are Caravaggio, Jeff Koons, P i c a s s o , J a c q u e s L o u i s David, Damien Hirst, and Giotto. For me, art is every- thing, exactly like music! At 18, you moved to N Y C , w h e r e y o u f i r s t w o r k e d a s a w a i t e r i n Robert De Niro's restau- rant, the Tribeca Grill. Your cousin was a cook there. You were already d e s i g n i n g c l o t h e s , weren't you? Yes. After my high school diploma, I yearned for new experiences. I was a young Sicilian boy who dreamed of America as the best place to learn. And in that restaurant, I h a d t h e c h a n c e t o m e e t Whitney Houston's stylist, Patti Wilson, who believed in me from the very begin- ning. You consequently met a n d d r e s s e d t h e American singing sensa- t i o n o f t h e 1 9 8 0 s a n d '90s who died a tragic death in 2012. Can you please share a personal m e m o r y o f W h i t n e y Houston? I remember her extraor- dinary strength and when she told me: "I want to sup- port you." T h e n y o u l i v e d i n C a l i f o r n i a f o r y e a r s . T h e r e , t h e i n f l u e n t i a l b o u t i q u e M a x f i e l d p i c k e d u p y o u r e a r l y d e s i g n s . B u t o n e d a y , visiting Italy, you met the Sicilian design duo D o m e n i c o D o l c e a n d Stefano Gabbana, who endorsed your artistry, s o y o u g o t y o u r b i g break. Yes, it was pure causality that I stayed. I was about to g o b a c k t o t h e U S a g a i n when Domenico Dolce made me an indispensable pro- posal that marked the rise of my career. You began to sell your clothes in Milan's Dolce & Gabbana boutique and be part of their new-gen retail project, Spiga 2. T h e c r e a t i o n o f y o u r brand, Fausto Puglisi, followed naturally. Correct. Then, in 2013, I had my first runaway show at the Milan Fashion Week. Both the "almighty" Anna Wintour and Ed Filipowski r e c o m m e n d e d i t . T h e y b e l i e v e d i n m e f r o m t h e start. W h o i s t h e n e w Roberto Cavalli woman? The women around the world. I interpret the needs and desires of women and men with strong personali- ties.I take the opportunity to t e l l y o u t h a t w e w i l l b e i m p l e m e n t i n g t h e a c c e s - sories segment and expand- ing the menswear. In addi- tion, I will showcase my first Roberto Cavalli Men's col- lection, the Spring Summer 2022 Men's collection, in June. Last February, in your "Zero" Roberto Cavalli collection that signaled y o u r d e b u t w i t h t h e l a b e l , y o u r e v i s i t e d Roberto Cavalli's signa- ture animal prints. Will animal prints remain an i n d i s p e n s a b l e C a v a l l i classic together with the avant-garde leather pro- cessing Roberto invent- ed in the 1970s and his s e x y r o c k ' n ' r o l l denim? Animal prints are a style statement. They epitomized glamor for centuries, from the great emperors to the d i v a s o f t h e 1 9 5 0 s . T h e y were a symbol of wealth and a s o u r c e o f i n s p i r a t i o n . Cavalli made them his own through his amazing cre- a t i o n s . Z e b r a a n d t i g e r stripes and leopard spots express a sense of freedom. They will be the protagonist of my following collections. Those graphic patterns were already in my Zero collec- tion, and indeed I will con- tinue to define them, evolve them more and more. F o u n d e r R o b e r t o Cavalli said he used ani- mal prints because he copied nature which is " t h e c l o s e s t t h i n g t o God, the best designer, s o I s t a r t e d t o c o p y God," he said. Is nature the supreme beauty? Definitely. And in the nat- ural world, respect for dif- ferences is evident. Some orchids offer an unexpected color combination. They are masterpieces because of that mix. There are tropical fish o f c l a s h i n g c o l o r s a n d o f such unusual beauty as to convey a fantastic harmony. How about the sea? I t g i v e s m e a s e n s e o f absolute freedom. A s a n i n d e p e n d e n t f a s h i o n d e s i g n e r , y o u were the first to collabo- rate with Madonna, who knows how to express herself when it comes to f a s h i o n . I n 2 0 1 5 , y o u d e s i g n e d h e r R e b e l H e a r t t o u r c o s t u m e s and her cult black coat with fur collar. I w a s s o h o n o r e d … Madonna also chose me for c r e a t i n g h e r l o o k o n t h e cover of Elle magazine inter- national. Not only do I have enormous respect for her, b u t I a m a l s o e x t r e m e l y grateful to her. I can't wait to dress her in Cavalli! Can you please offer an anecdote about her? I w a s a t t e n d i n g t h e Madame X Tour rehearsals i n 2 0 1 9 . O n e n i g h t , i n Brooklyn, she sang Like a Prayer repeatedly, over and over until perfection from her moves to the stage lights and the dance choreogra- phy. At 6 A.M., we were still there. I was so exhausted but decided I should have s o m e t h i n g t o e a t a t a Mexican grill nearby. At what age did you discover your passion for fashion design? During my childhood. In a primary school composi- tion, I wrote: "I will be a f a s h i o n d e s i g n e r o n c e grown-up" (he smiles). H o w d o y o u k n o w when you've found an idea that works? It is a matter of intuition. If it is a winning idea, I feel it immediately. That is why I always try to insist on doing it my way. United State of Cavalli's Flag (Photo: Max Vadukul) Fashion designer Fausto Puglisi appears to have had a magic touch from the very start. What distinguishes his design is its vitality, its sense that life goes on Continued from page 10 LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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