Italian fashion gets World Cup fever

Brand show special capsule collections and accessories

(ANSA) - Rome, June 10 - The World Cup kicks off Thursday in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and soccer fans aren't the only ones shining with passion for the sport. igh-end Italian fashion brands have also been infected by the World Cup frenzy and are launching a range of capsule collections and special accessories to celebrate Italy's national team as well as the colors and tropical atmosphere of host country Brazil.

Luxury shoemakers Loriblu designed a pair of high-heeled sandals glittering with national pride and Swarovski crystals in the colours of the Italian flag - green, white and red. Santoni vied for a sportier inspiration with lined, vintage-looking sneakers in a range of colors inspired by the flags of national teams competing in the World Cup. Donatella Versace, better known for her sultry gowns and unique take on sexiness, embraced the World Cup fever with a special T-shirt in a baroque print celebrating Brazil's carnival, with soccer balls and flowers.

The Versace touch was showcased in other motifs including leopard prints and the fashion house's iconic Medusa at the center of T-shirts. Verona-based brand Franklin & Marshall designed a range of silk T-shirts for women and cotton jerseys for men dedicated to the flags of national teams including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United States and Sweden.

The label is a sponsor of the Hellas Verona football club. Police, a top label of the De Rigo group, launched a special edition of eyeglasses inspired by its new face, Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. Laura Biagiotti also designed eyeglasses - the Bio and Carioca models in the shades of Brazil and the tropical world - to celebrate the World Cup.

The funky glasses shaped like a butterfly in the palette of the Brazilian flag have been made in an innovative bioplastic material produced by Mazzucchelli which used acetate cellulose extracted from cotton fibers and wood. World Cup fans hitting the beach will be able to don one of Flavia Padovan's bikinis encrusted in white, red and green pearls and apply Jenipapo sunscreen or the Au Bresil line produced by L'Occitane, an homage to Brazilian nature and culture by the house's founder Olivier Baussan. Tradition mixed with innovation is what sets Zagliani bags apart. And this summer, the brand's unconventional take on exotic-skin bags has been inspired by Brazil's bold colors with Zagliani designs in orange, green and turquoise making a case for high-end classics with a sporty twist.