In the early stages of his 50 year career, Cavalli designed for the likes of Pierre Cardin and Hermes which allowed him to open his first boutique in St. Tropez in 1972.

Once Cavalli and Eva Duringer were married she became a business partner, managing ad campaigns as well as haloing him oversee a Milanese restaurant, a club and a chocolate factory in Florence.

Controversial Cavalli

Over the years Cavalli has courted controversy with his designs, using animal prints and fur in his clothing designs, and more recently using what has been perceived to be a Sufi symbol on the bottle of one of his perfumes.  These things have provoked protests from a number of different groups.