After a few seasons of missing the mark, Paul Surridge finally delivered in his latest line for Roberto Cavalli. Maybe because this was his final collection for the label that he wanted to go out with a bang? In any case, his Fall 2019 show was an exemplary presentation of the right balance between Surridge’s own sharp-tailored aesthetic with Cavalli’s signature Italian exuberance. He started with tiger print—a Cavalli favorite—and made it multi-colored for a unique psychedelic effect. With it, he decorated his multitude of excruciatingly sharp suits, for both men and women, as well as a few billowy dresses. The latter seemed misplaced as the Italian brand was all about skin-tight sexiness, but the tailoring was a breath of fresh air. It was a new kind of Cavalli sexiness that had rigor and refinement, but still had that tinge of overtness to it. Furthering deeper into the sexual narrative, the leather looks were slightly BDSM in nature—especially a wicked high-waisted pantsuit that looked dominatrix-like. By cocktail hour, however, it was back to classic Cavalli. For women, a series of sequined and studded translucent cocktail-wear that showed a lot, but not too much. As for the men, tuxedos with either leather pieces or with hints of the tiger prints made for quirky evening-wear. Looking back, we feel it’s a shame that Surridge was only able to exemplify such excellence only once during his short tenure for the brand.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
