Italian designer duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana present 2016 Alta Moda high fashion show in Naples whose historic city center is a UNESCO world heritage. Italian diva Sophia Loren's movies are their source of inspiration. Photos provided to China Daily

Since they launched their first haute couture collection in Taormina, Sicily, in 2012, Dolce & Gabbana's spectacular three-day triple bill weekend has become an event to showcase Italian glamour. Chen Jie reports from Naples.

Located in southern Italy, the Mediterranean port city of Naples is one of the most ancient in Europe, and its contemporary urban fabric preserves the elements of its long and eventful history that date back to the 9th century BC. The rectangular grid layout of the ancient Greek settlement of Neapolis is still discernible in the historic center of the city, which was listed as world heritage by UNESCO in 1995.

In the 1950s, from the narrow and winding cobbled alleys full of pizza shops, craft stores and laundry hanging from the windows, walked out Italian diva Sophia Loren, the world famous actress who was raised in Naples.

And, on the evening of July 8, from the same alleys, emerged 99 young girls, in richly embroidered, painted, needle-pointed and gilded dresses, with flowers adorning their hair, just like Loren had, on different occasions.

This was Italian designer duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's 2016 Alta Moda high fashion show.

Since they launched their first haute couture collection in Taormina, Sicily, in 2012, the duo's spectacular three-day triple bill weekend in early July, comprising the Alta Moda womenswear, Alta Sartoria menswear and high jewelry show, has become an event to showcase Italian glamor.