Roberto Cavalli taps Tomorrow to scale wholesale for 2026 push
Bottom Line Impact
If executed with tight door discipline, the partnership can add 20–30 percent to the order book by FW26–SS27, reduce SG and A by 150–250 bps, and reposition Cavalli as a leading maximalist occasionwear house while rebuilding brand equity through controlled, high visibility distribution.
Key Facts
5- Timeline: Tomorrow assumes global wholesale for FW26 (sell in Jan–Mar 2026; deliveries Aug–Oct 2026) with first full effect on FY26 second half and FY27
- Tomorrow footprint: 8 showrooms across Milan, Paris, Shanghai, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Atlanta, plus London HQ; NA operations via Goods and Services
- Ownership and creative: Auriel Investment SA (Damac) since 2019; creative direction by Fausto Puglisi since 2020
- Scope: Tomorrow to represent apparel and accessories from resort to evening; licensed lines (home, perfume, eyewear, watches, kids, Just Cavalli) remain with partners but benefit from traffic halo
- Projected impact: wholesale order book uplift 20–30 percent for FW26–SS27; SG and A leverage +150–250 bps via outsourced sales; working capital improvement with inventory days down 10–15 and DSO down 10–15 days by FY27
Time Horizons
Key Roles Affected
Executive Summary
Roberto Cavalli will outsource global wholesale to Tomorrow beginning with Fall 2026, accelerating door expansion while converting high fixed commercial costs into variable commissions. The move can expand access to A tier retailers in the US, Europe, and APAC, lifting the order book by 20 to 30 percent and improving cash conversion as early as the FW26 and SS27 seasons.
Actionable Insights
Immediate Actions (Next 30-90 days)
Set a 24 month door quality framework and cap door counts per market; require A tier doors to represent at least 70 percent of wholesale revenue by FW26
Rationale: Protects brand equity while scaling, reduces discount exposure, and focuses resources on high productivity doors
Role affected:CEO
Urgency level:immediate
Build a top 50 door pursuit list with tiered exclusives, hero SKU depth, and MAP enforcement; set KPIs of 60 percent 8 week sell through and cancellation rate under 5 percent
Rationale: Concentrates sell in and sell through where the brand will index strongest and de risks margin dilution
Role affected:Chief Commercial Officer
Urgency level:immediate
Short-term Actions (6-12 months)
Negotiate 30 percent order deposits, credit insurance, and net 30 terms; target inventory days down 15 percent and SG and A down 150–200 bps by FY27
Rationale: Outsourcing wholesale enables better cash conversion and fixed cost reduction without starving growth
Role affected:CFO
Urgency level:short-term
Fund 1.5–2.0 percent of wholesale revenue for co op marketing and red carpet capsules with 10 flagship partners; align influencer drops to order book peaks
Rationale: Synchronizes demand creation with sell in windows to maximize door productivity and pricing power
Role affected:CMO
Urgency level:short-term
Risks & Opportunities
Primary Risks
- Door proliferation dilutes brand and raises markdown risk, especially in US department stores
- Margin compression if commissions, co op, and returns erode gross to net beyond plan
- China and US demand volatility causing order cancellations and inventory overhang
Primary Opportunities
- Rapid access to A tier global doors without fixed buildout, accelerating FY27 top line
- Occasionwear and event dressing resurgence supporting higher AUR and low promo exposure
- Cross category halo to licenses and DTC via heightened visibility and red carpet moments