A week after Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre died the fashion house that bears his name presented its summer show for men to a tearful audience that gave him a posthumous ovation.

Warm applause broke out as each male model presented a design by Ferre.

When the show was over the audience of guests, journalists, buyers and professionals - many weeping or obviously in the grip of emotion - rose to their feet and applauded for 10 minutes.

"Of couse I'm moved and the parade today was the right place to pay tribute to this personality who was in my view the only person capable of creating high-fashion level ready-to-wear," Mario Boselli, president of the national fashion chamber, told AFP at the Milan show.

The collection followed Ferre's preliminary designs and showed a selection of items tailored in very fluid dark blue materials, used both for formal and casual wear.