Make Up Beauty Tips

On the 40th anniversary of his label, Roberto Cavalli reveals to Harper’s Bazaar why leopard is lovely, imitation is unflattering, and the party should never end.


Cavalli, pictured above with his wife, Eva, their son, Daniele, their flamboyant friends, as well as a lion cub, at their home in Florence, Italy, shares what he loves about women, why he thinks he's a "typical man" and more in June's issue of Harper Bazaar featuring Katherine Heigl on the cover.

Harper's Bazaar Article, Laura Brown (author)

The genius of Roberto Cavalli is that he lives exactly as he should. He is not a subtle man, and he doesn't make subtle clothes. Cavalli lives a leopard-print life.

Take, for example, his casa on a hill overlooking Florence, Italy. A 14th-century watchtower, it has four birdcages housing colorful macaws and a hysterical cockatoo, dozens of crystal balls, walls of classical portraits, a Julian Schnabel plate painting of his wife, Eva, a cellar full of Cavalli wine and Cavalli vodka, a tanning machine, and a bedazzled motorbike. Down the hill is Cavalli's ultramodern photo studio, a techtastic palace with light-up floors.

Photo credit: Jason Schmidt; article: Harper's Bazaar (June 2010)

Makeup artist Pat McGrath and hairstylist Guido Palau served up a blend of muted makeup and wet-effect French twists that complemented designer Roberto Cavalli's gently pretty new mood.

McGrath supplied a soft look that began with liquid foundation, concealer, and pressed powder to create an even, natural canvas. Next, the makeup artist applied a trio of eye shadows for a low-key lid look: Laura Mercier Metallic Crème Eye Colour in Gold on the upper lid, NARS Cream Eyeshadow in Paper Tiger (a toffee color) along the outer edge, and CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 1-Kit Eye Shadow in Tapestry Taupe along the lower lash line. Then McGrath used a wet liner brush to apply BeneFit Show Offs in Miss Moon, a white-gold loose powder, to the inner corners of the eye. A dab of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream in the center of the lid added shine.



She curled the lashes before brushing on brown volumizing mascara and filled in brows with blond and brown pencils. She used a combination of bronzer and blush (Max Factor ColorGenius Bronzer on the outer cheeks and ColorGenius Blush in Roses on the apples of the cheeks) to give the skin a warm glow. McGrath also used NARS the Multiple in Copacabana, a pearl-toned multipurpose cream, to highlight the cheeks, nose, and brows. Max Factor Colour Perfection Lipstick in rosy-brown Sepia, pressed onto the lips with a finger, added the ideal soft finishing touch.

Cavalli's fifties silhouettes—nipped waists and full skirts—mixed with a slew of exotic accents like sequins and paillettes, inspired the models' subtly undone updos. "It's as if she had been swimming and had twisted her hair up herself at the back," said Palau. "This is why we didn't do perfect twists or coifs. It seems so much sexier to suggest that this woman would have styled her hair herself."


To create a homespun effect, Palau applied Redken Ringlet 07, a cream gel that moisturizes and defines curls, to damp hair before roughly blowing it dry. Next, he wrapped small sections of hair around a T3 curling iron to create loose waves. Once curled, the hair was misted with Redken Vinyl Glam 02, a shine-enhancing spritz. "It gives the hair a wet look," said the stylist. He pulled the hair back and pinned it into a French twist before back-combing the pieces at the top of the head to make for a more prominent forelock. Said Palau, "It's the perfect style to wear after a day at the beach. Don't worry about it looking too perfect. The twist alone gives it a chic edge."



source: style.com