Renato Balestra Cause of Death

Renato Balestra, a doyen of Italian couture, died on Saturday, 26 November 2022, at the age of 98 in Rome. On Tuesday, 29 November 2022 a funeral service will be held in the Italian capital.,

His name was associated with a distinctive color — Balestra blue — and was known for his signature painterly embroidery and blend of different fabrics and transparencies.

After an apprenticeship with Jole Veneziani and working for the likes of Emilio Schubert, Maria Antonelli, and Sorelle Fontana, Balestra opened his first atelier in 1959 in Rome, where the company is still based.

His keen interest in film led him to create costumes for Ava Gardner in “The Barefoot Contessa” and “The Sun Also Rises,” Gina Lollobrigida in “Beautiful but Dangerous,” Sophia Loren in “Lucky to Be a Woman,” and Candice Bergen in “The Adventurers,” among others.

He became popular with movie stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Claudia Cardinale, and Carroll Baker, to name a few.

Balestra created exclusive collections for Isetan, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Foley’s, Neiman Marcus, and Lord & Taylor, among others.