Zancle is the ancient name for the city of Messina, the place where Fausto Puglisi was born and grew up, overlooking the treacherous and charming waters of the stretto, the strait that connects Sicily to the rest of Italy. True to his islander nature, Fausto was eager to run away as much as he cherished – and still does – his visceral bond with the genius loci. Looking at the sea, he was not seeing Italy on the horizon, he was seeing America, where he ended up and where he took his first steps in fashion. Fausto was dreaming big: a trait that is integral to the house that Roberto built, whose spirit is still very much alive, in a new and utterly personal interpretation that roots a distinctive ethos in this moment. In short, Fausto Puglisi’s Roberto Cavalli Spring Summer 2025 Collection draws inspiration from his Sicilian roots, blending the vibrant spirit of Messina with Roberto Cavalli’s iconic bold designs.
Messina’s Coastal Charm in the Roberto Cavalli Spring Summer 2025 Collection
To an operatic crescendo worth, a performance at sunset in the Greek theater of Siracusa, the collection moves as a bird’s eye view across the colors, the smells and the spirit of Messina, from the graffiato texture of the houses to fishermen’s ropes and chains that turn into dresses or jewels, from the glistening sunsets and bluest waters on to the swordfishes that become earrings and decorate bags. Fausto Puglisi loves drama just as much as his American-inflected vision is concrete and seductively pragmatic. The movement is in crescendo: at first everything comes in white, ivory and ecru, with embroidered nets drawn over trench coats, draped dresses and slouchy pants, not a print in sight.
More Like This:
From there on, the scene shifts to sea views: a bright red sun is sinking in the water at sunset, captured with photographic precision on easy breezy pieces in froissè silk, rendered as jacquard on sumptuous yet svelte coats and skirts. Afterwards, the call of the waters becomes irresistible, and it’s the blue and liquidity of the sea that takes over dresses and suits that flow and swirl like waves, until a vision of sequined sirens emerges from the foamy waters, and the lure of the stretto draws the ultimate seduction. It is a story of shapes just as much as it is a story of materials: jute, cotton, linens, woven raffia, paper, silk, laminated silk as shiny as ice. In the views from Zancle, a new Cavalli emerges, charged with a summery ease and a deeply steeped love for the wonders of nature.
Reviving Roberto Cavalli’s Legacy in the SS 2025 Collection
This show is the first the house of Cavalli stages since its founder, Roberto Cavalli, passed away. As an homage, seven iconic pieces from the archive have been selected to appear on the catwalk at the end of the SS 25 show: three asymmetric zebra print slip dresses from FW 2000; a black leather and chiffon siren gown from FW 2003; three feathered gowns from FW 2004. These creations capture the essence of Roberto’s untamed creativity and his love for wild glamor while being representative of one iconic moment in the early 00, in fashion and in pop culture. From this foray in history, a contemporary capsule collection of zebra prints separates, named Zebra 2000, has been developed. Consisting of a long and short slip dress, shirt, t-shirt, bodysuit and two fits of jeans in three colorways, it will be available for purchase right after the show.
