The world of fashion and entertainment gathered today in
Rome
in the last embrace of
Renato Balestra,
the doyen of couturiers who passed away on
November 26, at the age of 98.
A great emotion also broke the voice of
Milly Carlucci
, who at the religious funeral of the designer, held in
the Church of Santa Maria in Montesanto, in Piazza del Popolo
- known as the Church of the Artists - read, at the end of the religious ceremony officiated by the rector of the church, Monsignor Walter Insero, the Prayer of the Artists.
In the pulpit together with Monsignor Insero were Monsignor Simeone, rector of the church of Constantinople in Rome, and Don Emiliano, who followed the couturier in the last days of his life during his hospitalization in a Roman clinic.
On either side of the designer's coffin, surrounded by wreaths of white flowers, there was a Capitol guard of honour, represented by three traffic policemen in full uniform.
Milly Carlucci was not the only friend of the designer to be moved in the last farewell to Balestra.
"Renato was a special man - said the Rai presenter after the religious ceremony - I knew him and his daughters Fabiana and Federica since I was a little girl. We were a family. Renato represented a generation of men of an intellectual, moral, creative, crazy, unique".
In the church packed with a silent and moved crowd, there were Guillermo Mariotto,
Marisela Federici,
Anna Fendi
, who on 6 October lost her sister Franca, the Countess
Patrizia de Blanck and her daughter Giada
, very close friends of Renato Balestra ,
with a veil black on the head, the presenter
Alessandra Canale, Amedeo Goria and Beppe Convertini
.
Also present were the director of
Altaroma Adriano Franchi
and the former Minister for Youth Policies and Sport
Vincenzo Spatafora
.
Monica Lucarelli
also paid homage to him
, Councilor for Security Policies, Productive Activities and Equal Opportunities of the Municipality of Rome, and the former Minister for Youth Policies and Sport, Vincenzo Spadafora.
In church also ex models and admirers and influencers.
Monsignor Walter Insero recalled the figure of Renato Balestra, his family from Trieste, his engineering degree, his beginnings in fashion following a bet from his friends, his passion for the arts.
"Renato - Monsignor Insero recalled - at the age of 12 was reading Dostoevsky. Until recently he devoured a book a day. He played the piano. He travelled.
He loved fashion but also music, painting, theater
. He had taught himself to speak perfect English, French and German. He was a cultured, sensitive, generous, convivial man. Very ironic. He had great charisma and loved being surrounded by family and friends".
On stage to recall the memories of the great grandfather, also the granddaughters Marta and Sofia, daughters of Fabiana, present in the front row together with the other daughter of the designer, Federica.
"Despite all the stories I asked him to tell me, it was never enough for me. I wanted to see with his eyes, hear with his ears. The memory of my grandfather remains - Sofia Balestra finally said - an extraordinary man. Unique for his passion and curiosity that have allowed him to be the protagonist of Italian high fashion in the world".
