Fausto Sarli

Fausto Sarli was born in Naples, Italy, in the 1930's. He initially started a career in business management, but switched over to fashion design. He started his career in 1952 by working a while with Emilio Schuberth and de Luca.

In 1954, he won an STAMI award for his designs, and in 1957 won a young fashion talent competition judged by Schubert, Capucci, Veneziani and Simonetta.

In 1957 he presented the first collection under his own name at Florence's Pitti Palazzo, before starting his own atelier in 1958 in Naples. This was very successful, so after a year, he opened a second salon in Rome.

After conquering Italy, Sarli went to Canada, and the USA in 1965 and Japan in 1970. In 1980 he launched his "Studio" collections and in 1984 his Pret-a-Porter line.

Sergio Altieri worked for him 1974-76 who later joined Pierre Cardin in France.

In 1992, Sarli started his Accessories line.

In 2001, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of Italian couture, all the major designers of Italy, including Fausto Sarli, presented their gowns at an exhibition. In 2002, to celebrate his own half-century in fashion, Fausto Sarli gave a memorable fashion show in Rome and Naples simultaneously.

The latest Sarli collection for Fall/Winter 2004, was shown in Rome.