MILAN (AP) — At Roberto Cavalli, creative director Fausto Puglisi’s latest collection came alive with fluid gold gowns and lamé-treated denim that caught the light, and sometimes the air, with every step.
The Spring-Summer 2026 womenswear collection previewed Thursday night during Milan Fashion Week possessed all of the sexy glamour that has defined Cavalli.
For this collection, Puglisi took inspiration from Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra in the 1963 film.
The reference was most apparent in a pleated gown that fanned off the shoulders with a plunging neckline; the pleated bodice made another appearance as a top tucked into a gilded python mini.
“Of course, this Cleopatra is 2025, so it is much more wearable,’’ Puglisi said backstage.
Other iterations included a golden Chantilly lace slip gown and a fluid floor-length gold-and-silver foil diva coat atop a matching gown, just ready for its stage debut.
Denim also shimmered with glints of gold. The low-waist, bell bottom silhouette with silky low-cut blouses gave a Bohemian air of self-abandon, reminiscent of Puglisi’s other inspiration this season: a barefoot Jane Birkin on the streets of St. Tropez.
“Cavalli was primordial for the obsession for desire, sensuality. It is something I feel connected to,’’ Puglisi said.