His treatment of summer's favorite (but inherently tricky) shades of beige, nude, and vintage-boudoir pink came as pretty little sheer ruched camisole tops and tattered, asymmetrically-ruffled dresses. Dell'Acqua has developed a neat strategy for making sheerness wearable: His fine-knit underpinnings create an opaque base over which to layer and tie all those chiffons, a blush-saving trick that turns a certain light eroticism into a realistic proposition.

Dell'Acqua said he was inspired by actress Monica Vitti, and the cream lace shifts sprinkled with crystals at neck and hem that he showed for evening were a modernized, attractively offhand version of her sixties glamour. The outfits using black tulle layered over jewels looked too close to the original idea by Alber Elbaz to pass critical muster, however. For the most part, this was a confident collection that shows Dell'Acqua growing up. As the creative mind behind La Perla's ready-to-wear, and with a new backer for his own line, chances are there will be a lot more Dell'Acqua in the shops soon—and that's something to look forward to.

– Sarah Mower