Italian fashion designer, Roberto Cavalli dies aged 83

Roberto Cavalli, the Italian fashion designer known for his glamorous designs and colourful prints, has died in Florence at the age of 83.

“It is with great sadness that today we say our final goodbyes to our founder Roberto Cavalli,” his brand announced in a statement on Instagram Friday, April 12.

“From humble beginnings in Florence, Roberto succeeded in becoming a globally recognised name loved and respected by all. Naturally talented and creative, Roberto believed that everyone can discover and nurture the artist within themselves.

“Roberto Cavalli’s legacy will live on via his creativity, his love of nature and via his family who he cherished.”

Cavalli’s cause of death was not immediately shared.

He was known for his rich aesthetic, which featured flamboyant prints inspired by the worlds of exotic flora and fauna, high hemlines and even lower waistlines.

His lifestyle was equally lavish, with his main residence a 13-hectare (32-acre) Tuscan estate featureing a vineyard, tanning machine, racehorses, Ferraris and a menagerie of animals including parrots, iguanas, a Persian cat, a monkey and tiger.

His estate also included a personal helicopter and a superyacht called Freedom. Its design was inspired by the movie Batman.

Cavalli launched his eponymous label in 1970 and made a name for himself when he patented a new way of printing on leather.