Could an elegant Italian Star Destroyer still project intimidating power?
Short answer
Yes. Its appearance could suggest that a navy wealthy enough to refine its ships so carefully had also invested heavily in their fighting capability.
Notes
An elegant Italian Star Destroyer could convey power through its appearance. The comparison is with the Glorious Heritage-class cruisers of the Systems Commonwealth in Andromeda. An observer might reason that a navy able to spend so much on appearance could also have invested heavily in fighting capability. This is an imagined deterrent effect of visual confidence and wealth.