Designer Francesco Scognamiglio  described his Spring 2016 collection as a tribute to the statue of the Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sammartino, on display in his native city of Naples.

“When I see the Veiled Christ, I feel like I have a collapse all the time,” the designer explained backstage. “It’s kind of chiffon on Christ’s body and it looks wet.”

In translation the collection featured a range of babydoll dresses and voluptuous chiffon gowns trailing detached ruffles. Elsewhere, ruffles were used to underline the curve of the breasts on sheer gowns, while ultrashort dresses in brocade or white mikado silk featured sliver thin lace panels along the chest.

In other news, Francesco Scognamiglio is preparing to launch a couture line in Paris thanks to new financial backing from Malaysian entrepreneur Johann Young.