Fausto Puglisi took a walk on the wild side this season, going monochromatic and showering this collection in gold. The metallic runway shone like a candy wrapper, and nearly every outfit, down to the flat sandals with their curving snake details, came in a shade of gold.

Puglisi said he wanted to play with Cavalli’s signature animal patterns in a monochromatic way, and deliver the unexpected.

“So much of the time gold can be in your face, over-the-top. I wanted it to be strong, with a gentle touch. I also wanted this idea of escape. It’s such a sad moment for the world, and Cavalli is about parties, cocktails and fun. You buy these dresses to feel beautiful,” said the designer.

His mood board showcased glamorous ladies who spanned the millennia, from Cleopatra to Elizabeth Taylor to Jane Birkin. “There is also this feeling of ‘Hollywood Babylon’ and the Karen Elson dress is one of my favorites,” he said, pointing to the charming model who opened the show in a plissé lamé gown – and flat sandals. Old Hollywood meets ancient Egypt.

“I also liked using all shades of gold, and playing with textures fabrics that I love – metallics, plissé, fil coupé, devoré. There’s even gold for the daytime,” he said, pointing to sexy stone-washed denim flares fused with strips of python, and an oversized white jacquard jacket with metallic jacquard patterns.

After Elson came a train of dresses – gowns dipped in rose gold sequins, or covered in gilded laurel leaves. There were shimmery red carpet styles, too. One looked like it was covered in gold spray paint while another had a coral design picked out in shiny beads at the front. The final exit was a long, airy princess dress in muted gold tinged with silver.

Puglisi sent out shorter, less-formal styles, too, sheer, bum-skimming T-shirt dresses with long sleeves and webs of delicate embroidery, and a lineup of corseted slips matching the gold foil runway.

Puglisi could have added some more contrasting colors to the sea of gold that flowed past the guests, or handed them sunglasses on their way into the venue. Still, it was dazzling. One thing about Puglisi is that he’s never dull.