Dive Brief:
- Italian luxury brand Roberto Cavalli tapped Sergio Azzolari, the previous head of Dsquared2, as its new CEO as the fashion house continues to implement a turnaround following going to bankruptcy court in 2019.
- Azzolari reportedly stepped into the position Sunday, according to WWD. He was previously CEO at edgy luxury brand Dsquared2, where he’s been since April 2022, and he’s also served in top roles at Fay and Hogan, Deckers Corp. Luxottica and Missoni.
- Roberto Cavalli is getting a new leader as the brand’s owner, real estate tycoon Hussain Sajwani, has been reorganizing top ranks, the WWD has also reported.
Dive Insight:
Cavalli’s recent executive reshuffling has been extensive. Cavalli’s former general manager, Ennio Fontana, left the company at the beginning of the year for a similar position at Dsquared2 after working the past two years to boost Cavalli’s sales and expand its retail store presence in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
The brand recently opened a new boutique in Miami. Stores are also slated to open in Las Vegas and Houston.
WWD reported that Sajwani also named three vice presidents over the last few months: Arnaud Bazin as vice president of merchandising, Luigi Cantone as vice president of commercial and Michela Ratti as vice president of marketing.
Cavalli did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.
The brand has experienced immense change over the past few years. In 2019, Sajwani, chairman of Dubai-based Damac Properties, acquired a majority stake in the brand after it filed for bankruptcy protection in Italy earlier that year.
The sale came after the brand had struggled for years to boost its revenue and compete with well-heeled luxury conglomerates after its namesake founder retired. Before the sale, Cavalli had also closed all of its U.S. stores and liquidated its North American operations.
About a year after the acquisition, Cavalli tapped Italian designer Fausto Puglisi — who is known for dressing famous clients, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez — to be creative consultant for the brand.
As part of the turnaround, the brand ended certain licensing agreements, bringing accessories and footwear, potentially lucrative sources of revenue, back in house. The house has also focused on strengthening Just Cavalli, a label designed for a younger audience.
Last year, Damac Properties said it forged a partnership with Swinger International for the production and wholesale distribution of Just Cavalli, which will continue to be designed in-house.
