The fashion world has been shocked after the death of design icon Roberto Cavalli, who died on Friday at the age of 83.
Yesterday, a host of celebrities came to remember the legendary designer, as he rested in his hometown of Florence.
Among them was his long-time girlfriend and former Swedish model Sandra Nilsson.
Sandra, 38, was photographed looking heartbroken at the funeral, and one photo appears to show her leaning towards the hearse carrying her partner.
The couple, who had a 45-year age difference, had been in a relationship for more than 10 years, after getting together in 2014, although some reports say that Sandra had been seen at Roberto’s side as early as 2010, when he got married. separated from his second wife.
Sandra Nilsson (pictured) appeared heartbroken at her partner Roberto Cavalli’s funeral, and appeared to lean towards his hearse.
The couple (pictured) had been together for about 10 years, with most reports saying they got together in 2014, although one says they were seen together as early as 2010.
Roberto, who had been divorced twice before his relationship with the former model, had six children.
The couple shared a child, a son who was born in March 2023 and named him Giorgio, after Roberto’s father.
While many know Sandra as Roberto’s partner, she enjoyed her own success working in the fashion industry.
Sandra was born in Sjöbo, southern Sweden, a small town she has described as “beautiful” with a population of around 7,000 people.
She was discovered by a modeling agent when she was 13 during a family vacation in Paris.
An agency called Clic asked her to model for them, but her parents said she was too young.
However, according to Sandra, it started when she was 15 years old.
Her parents wanted her to wait until she graduated high school to enter the industry, but instead, after studying nursing in school, she began modeling while working as a personal assistant.
Sandra (pictured, right) was in a relationship with the designer for over a decade and shares a son with him.
Sandra (pictured in New York in March 2008) enjoyed a successful modeling career in her own right, prior to her relationship with Roberto.
The couple (pictured during Fashion Talks at Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience in 2014) enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle – the designer even bought his partner her own island.
Among her career highlights, she participated in Scandinavia’s Top Model and won several beauty pageants, including Sweden’s Miss Hawaiian Tropic.
Her first victory came when she was crowned Miss Salming, before participating in Miss Siren, Miss EU, Miss Bikini Model World and Miss Hawaiian.
In 2006, Sandra was voted “Sweden’s 7th Sexiest Woman” and, in 2008, she became Playboy Magazine’s Playmate of the Month for January.
According to Sandra, her family supported her appearance in the publication, and ‘thought [she] It looked amazing in the photos.
in a interview That year, while at New York Fashion Week, the then-model shared some details about herself.
She said: “When I’m in New York I look for food and fashion; fashion is wonderful in New York, especially now that it’s fashion week.”
Sandra revealed that she “loved seeing all the new collections,” as well as “everyone [her] friends who are in town’ for the event.
The couple reportedly faced criticism due to the 45-year age difference in their relationship, but they did not seem bothered by the cruel comments.
Sandra (pictured with Roberto in Dubai in 2014) once said in an interview that she didn’t care about a man’s appearance, but preferred him to have a good personality.
She describes herself as a vegetarian and joked during the interview that while she doesn’t eat fish, she loves chewy Swedish fish treats.
According to Sandra, the things she liked most about modeling were traveling and meeting people, in addition to clothes.
Describing her personal style as “cute and sexy,” she revealed that Roberto Cavalli was her favorite designer.
However, in a interview Several months earlier, she said she was single at the time, but shared what she was looking for in a man.
She said: “I don’t think your looks matter as long as you have a good personality.”
Adding what she dislikes about a man, she listed “if he smells bad and only talks about himself.”
During the talk, the model also showed that she has a brain as well as looks, revealing that she speaks three languages although she only shares two of them: Swedish and English.
Despite her success as a glamor model in the late 2000s, Sandra’s modeling career seemed to have declined when she and Roberto began dating.
Due to the age difference between the two, it has been reported that the couple faced criticism when it was discovered that they were together.
Around that time, Sandra’s parents reportedly told Swedish media that their daughter splits her time between New York and Italy, where she “works for Roberto Cavalli.”
Sandra was accused by some of wanting to exploit the relationship for her own fame, however, the couple proved the skeptics wrong thanks to their partner’s longevity.
Additionally, the criticism seemed to have little to no effect on the couple, who shared images of their life together on social media.
Sandra and Roberto enjoyed an extremely luxurious lifestyle, and the designer was thought to be worth around $400 million.
Among his extravagant gestures, the designer bought Sandra a private island in Sweden in 2015.
he spends £2.22 million at Stora Rullingen, off the coast of Strängnäs, about 50 miles east of Stockholm.
“She always dreamed of her own island,” her father Jan-Ove Nilsson told Katrineholms Kuriren.
“He wants something in Sweden to fall back on.”
The former model is photographed looking emotional as she follows the coffin of her partner Roberto Cavalli
The heartbroken bride looks heartbroken as she is pictured outside the church before the service.
Nilsson and other mourners wipe away tears as they approach the church entrance.
Sandra (pictured at Roberto’s funeral in Florence) shares a young son with the designer.
Sandra and other mourners are seen applauding as the coffin is carried into the church. Roberto died last week after a long illness
The 81.5-acre island comes complete with a four-bedroom villa, a hunting lodge, a swimming pool and the remains of a Viking fort, as well as its own small golf course. It also has a jacuzzi and a swimming pool built into the mountain.
It is not yet officially known what will happen to the designer’s fortune, although some reports have speculated that his assets will be divided between Sandra and her six children.
Roberto died at his home in Florence last week, after a long illness.
Reporting his death, his fashion house issued an official statement that read: “With deep regret and great sadness, the Maison Roberto Cavalli participates in the passing of its founder, Roberto Cavalli. From humble beginnings in Florence, Mr. Cavalli managed to become a globally recognized name, loved and respected by everyone.
‘He was a born artist and believed that everyone can discover the artist within them. Roberto Cavalli’s legacy will live on through his art, his creativity, his love for nature, animals and through his family whom he cherished.