Meanwhile, Roman designers celebrated their Haute Couture fashion week by trying to be optimistic in the midst of the financial crisis.

Beppe Modenese, honorary president of the National Chamber of Fashion, said he found it honorable that Roman designers still want to participate in an Italian industry dominated by designers from Milan.

Roman designer Lorenzo Riva chose "graceful opulence" as the theme for his spring-summer 2009 collection.

He used light colors such as powder pink, mauve, green and ivory to create the look of water nymphs. His aim was to create women who enchant men but do not scare them.