Roberto Cavalli, an Italian designer known for a flamboyant and glamorous style, and especially for popularizing animal prints, who once described extravagance as the soul of fashion, has died at 83.
His company announced the death but did not provide any further details.
Since the 1970s, Mr. Cavalli sought to capture the “dolce vita” spirit of postwar Italy as he experimented with fabrics and printing methods. At his fashion house, Mr. Cavalli patented a new printing method for leather and in 1972 debuted the patchwork denim that became one of his trademarks. Mr. Cavalli opened a boutique in Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera, finding clients such as actresses Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren.
He later created a sandblasting technique to give denim a distressed look and added Lycra to jeans, which were given an international boost when model Naomi Campbell wore a pair in a runway show in 1993.
He took frequent inspiration from the natural world, featuring animal prints and fish-scale sequins. The “Cavalli woman” ranged from hippie to slick rocker, in diaphanous gowns that caught the air, seductive beaded dresses or sexy skinny suits.
Even as style trends increasingly moved toward simpler lines and more minimalistic looks, Mr.
