“When you design for a brand that has legacy and heritage, you have to think that times have changed,” Fausto Puglisi said in a conversation with Miles Socha, WWD‘s international editor, during the WWD Global Fashion Summit in Riyadh. “The wardrobe of today is not the wardrobe of 20 years ago.
“Working for Cavalli, we are talking about a huge brand with a huge legacy. It’s a brand that created in the early 2000s such a strong aesthetic. But times have changed with ‘#MeToo’, with the perception of the female body, what women now want. The necessity from my side isn’t to be sexy, but to be whatever the customer wants. To develop new shapes, different volumes. That’s where the world is going now.”
Drawing inspiration from Cavalli’s archival prints and vintage denim patchworks, since taking over as creative director of the house in 2020, Puglisi has been merging the house’s roots with a fresh take on what he describes as Cavalli’s “spirit of escapism” that appeals to Gen Z’s nostalgia for the era.
“The early 2000s with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Destiny’s Child in Cavalli — that’s connected to a nostalgia about the brand. Many top vintage stores are having so many requests of printed pieces from that moment from the young generation.”
Puglisi’s recent capsule launched in Cannes played to that sense of nostalgia by reinterpreting a famed 2006 print called “Ray of Gold” across casual, wearable pieces.
“I decided to translate that [original] dress into something different. We did bell-bottom jeans, oversized T-shirts and slipdresses.” This, he said, “is the way forward. I like to think about what Cavalli used to be and try to understand where we are going in terms of society and needs.” He added the collection is doing very well in terms of sales.
Before Roberto Cavalli passed away in April, he sent his seal of approval to Puglisi via Instagram direct messages, which Puglisi says he keeps on his phone. “He was very excited for my first show and also for my last summer collection. He was very happy and I’m proud,” the designer said.
In combing through the archives of the brand, Puglisi said his favorite pieces are from Cavalli’s earliest works. “What I like most is the beginning of his career because he started with a sense of humanity and curiosity. There wasn’t as much excess. He started collecting jeans, Levi’s, Wranglers and others. He used to destroy these with painting. He was the first hippie in fashion with these iconic fresh denim pieces.”
Puglisi values constant dialogue with critics and customers to understand desires and stay culturally relevant. He finds inspiration across art, music, travel and observing how people style themselves globally. “This is my first time here and I’m very happy to be in Riyadh, very curious. This is a place that is so young. I like the mix of tradition and the future. We went to a restaurant after we arrived and I loved the energy. There are a lot of young people. And I observe the way they dress, how they merge elegance with heritage.”
The designer said in the current political climate, where there is a lot of “screaming” and divisiveness, he believes there is a need for a sense of elegance in fashion. “With politics being what it is, I love a sense of calm in fashion, putting together the right things feels important. It is also important to listen to what the customers want from you.”
For aspiring designers, Puglisi said he doesn’t like giving advice, because everyone learns from their own mistakes. But he did reinforce expressing one’s voice authentically rather than chasing trends. “Fashion will always be full of trends, and these trends are boom boom always coming at you, from ‘see now, buy now’ to ‘quiet luxury.’
“This is the time to have your own voice, while also listening to what customers want. Express yourself without looking at others, then you will see if you have a unique point of view.”