Italy's glitterati were left reeling this week when the Italian National Tax Office published their income and tax details online in a freely accessible and alphabetically-arranged list.

Former tax minister Vincenzo Visco authorised the move to release the details of every Italian citizen just days before he left office, following the general election.

'This is an act of transparency, of democracy, similar to what happens elsewhere in the world,'' said Visco, according to The Telegraph.

Italians soon made the discovery and quickly forced the site to crash as thousands began to log on keen to find out how the other half live.

The details related to the year 1995. Fashion designers such as Giorgio Armani held the lead earning £35.1m, while Miuccia Prada and Donatella Versace fell short of double figures, earning £4m and £1.7m respectively.

Footballers and football club presidents also topped the list. Christian Vieri, the former Inter Milan striker, earned £17.5m in the year of his transfer to AC Milan. Vieri earned more than the president of Inter, Massimo Moratti (£15.6m), but less than the president of AC Milan.

New prime minister Silvio Berlusconi made £21.9m in 1995.