Celebrated Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli says he started making clothing for women to increases his chances of meeting them.

"I love women and to be designing, I could have much more chance to meet beautiful girls," Cavalli told guests of the Lavazza marquee at Derby day in Melbourne on Saturday.

"So I decided to make one collection.

"That was the beginning of my fashion."

Cavalli presented his first collection at the Pret-a-Porter salon in Paris at the age of 30.

This week the 71-year-old launched an exclusive collection for Target and has been enjoying the sun and nightlife in Sydney, before heading to Melbourne as a guest of the Lavazza marquee for the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

With a reputation as being the original "Italian Stallion", Cavalli told MC Paris Zachariou he didn't like to talk about himself.

"I'm quite a shy man. I don't like to speak about myself," he said before inviting all of the marquee guests to Florence.

After a few questions he said he was looking forward to watching the horses: "I want to see the race."

Then reverted to his true passion: "I want to see all of you one by one, in the eyes. I want to discover the colour of your eyes."

At the last minute he remembered to stay on message.