FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE OPENING, Designer Roberto Cavalli has officially inaugurated the luxury store in Bucharest

The extravagant Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, yesterday arrived in Romania at the official inauguration of the boutique that bears his name, located in the "The Grand" gallery within the Marriott. The arrival of the artist was announced last week.

The store in the "The Grand" gallery has been opened for the luxury consumers since December last year, following an investment of 600,000 Euros. The fashion maker was unable to attend the event, as his presence was long awaited by the fashion afficionados.

The standard concept of the store in Bucharest allows the storing of clothes and accessories in specially created compartments for each range of products, as the furniture used was created exclusively for the Italian designer, following the same standards of London, Paris, Madrid, New Delhi, Tokyo or New York.

The boutique of the "The Grand" gallery showcases the designer's prêt-a-porter creations for women, evening dresses as well as accessories from sunglasses to oversized clothes. The boutique features about 130 clothing items and accessories. Luxury consumers can pay between 2,000 and 55,000 lei for a dress.

• Romania - a new destination for luxury fashion

At the opening of the store in Bucharest, in December, Roberto Cavalli sent the following message through a press release: "I have decided to open a store in Bucharest, because Romania represents one of the newest markets for fashion and luxury... I am convinced that the women in this country will become faithful clients, as my style is perfect for them...".

Just as the designer was saying, the Romanian luxury market is one that has is only beginning, but one that has developed at an accelerated pace over the last five years, as several international names have opened local boutiques. Over the last few years, brands such as Burberry, Escada, Valentino, Ermanno Scervino, Brunello Cucinelli entered the domestic market.

The Cavalli boutique where the artist was present last night is located in the luxury gallery "The Grand", where most of the luxury stores in Bucharest are located.

• Cavalli - a fashion veteran

In the fashion world, Cavalli is known for the opulence of his creations, for his passion for patterns, especially the "animal print" type.

The artist studied art at the Fashion Institute of Florence, focusing on textile printing. While he was a student, Cavalli created a series of floral prints on jersey, as his labor attracted the attention of several Italian sock makers.

In the early '70s, Roberto Cavalli patented a revolutionary process for printing on leather, and it was this technique that helped get his start in Paris and then immediately receiving orders from companies such as Hermes and Pierre Cardin.

At 30 years old, the creator of Florence, presented his first collection at the Prêt-à-Porter Salon of Paris and his first boutique was opened in 1972, in Saint-Tropez. The 73-year old Italian designer created the fashion house that bears his name 40 years ago. Its brand portfolio include: Roberto Cavalli, just cavalli, Roberto Cavalli Junior, Roberto Cavalli Parfums, Roberto Cavalli Home.