Paul Surridge wants to make Roberto Cavalli more practical.
Paul Surridge
The 43-year-old designer hopes his creations for the Italian fashion house - which is best known for its use of animal prints and is a favourite of the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Emily Ratajkowski and Kim Kardashian West - are "empowering" to women.
He said: "I want to address how people dress. We can't just do 20 metres of chiffon because you're probably travelling in an Uber rather than a horse and carriage...
"I want to dress a working woman, not a kept woman.
"Twenty metres of chiffon is beautiful to look at, but I don't think it feels empowering.
"These new pieces can be minidresses or they can be tops, it's a blazer or it's a cocktail dress with cycling shorts underneath."
And Paul is keen to bring a new, younger, selection of customers to the designer brand.
He told The Times newspaper: "Artisan, heritage, ornamentation - they're not words that millennials speak.
"There's a whole community of kids that will talk about that sneaker.
"If I don't reach the next generation, where's this brand going?"
The designer also wants women to be "comfortable" in his clothes as he thinks that's the key to true glamour.
He explained: "Everything is more urban, more laid back.
"Glamour for me is about being comfortable. If you're not comfortable, you're vulgar.
"Cavalli isn't polite, it isn't intellectual but that doesn't mean it has to be frisky and provocative. Sexiness comes from being confident in your skin."
Under Paul's guidance, the label have introduced knitwear and slippers to their ranges in order to offer more to their existing client base.
He said: "I said, 'When these women on their yachts go upstairs for a coffee or watch the sunrise having not been to bed, are their cashmere jumpers Cavalli? Is the throw on their bed?' No."
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