Roberto Cavalli names Sergio Azzolari as new CEO

Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli announced the appointment of Sergio Azzolarias as the company’s new chief executive officer.

Mr Azzolarias will report to Cavalli’s board and will begin the role in April. An alumni of DSquared2, Mr. Azzolari also held numerous executive leadership roles within the Tods group, Luxottica and Missoni, building up a deep experience over Asia, the Americas and Europe across all aspects of retail, marketing, and product development.

Roberto Cavalli SpA is currently operated by Vision Investment Co. LLC, which is owned by billionaire property magnate Hussain Sajwani.

In a statement Mr. Sajwani said: “Finding the right partner to work with me to take Roberto Cavalli forward in our evolution has been a primary focus over the last several months, and I am thrilled that Mr. Azzolari is joining our talented team. He’s a skilled business leader with a deep passion for the consumer and a sophisticated understanding of building global, omnichannel brands. This, combined with his collaborative working style, transformation experience and intense focus on results, will put us in a good position as we move toward the future.”

Mr Azzolari said: “Roberto Cavalli is one of the world's greatest fashion icons and a brand I have admired for many years. It's an incredible opportunity to partner with Mr. Sajwani to continue to build on 50 years of heritage and innovation. The brand holds tremendous potential around the world, and I could not be more excited to lead the next phase of development for this great company with the team.”

With its high octane aesthetic, Roberto Cavalli previously struggled to remain relevant with the west's fashion sentiment, and employed a rota of changing creative directors. Demand for ostentatious dressing took a hit when pared down luxury emerged as a global trend during the pandemic.

Under new creative director Fausto Puglisi the brand has found renewed success for its animalia prints and posted a double digit growth last year.