Balestra

ROMAN REVIVAL

B A L E S T R A ' S E L E C T R I C 2 0 2 2 M E T A M O R P H O S I S

2022 was a bittersweet year for the Balestra family and brand. It started in spectacular fashion, as the eponymous 63-year-old label re-launched under the passionate guidance of the founder’s daughters Fabiana and Federica Balestra and his granddaughter Sofia Bertolli Balestra. The new look Balestra, staying faithful to the brand’s heritage and craftsmanship while adapting its aesthetic for the 21st century (and particularly the post-Covid optimism that has inundated Italian fashion), debuted in February 2022 with the F/W 2022 collection. It was the first of three collections that together will fully unveil the brand’s new direction, each capturing a unique facet of the Balestra tradition in ready-to-wear for the first time.

The exuberance surrounding these new beginnings was countered by the heartbreak of this November, when founder Renato Balestra passed away at the age of 98 after a rich and successful life. Balestra, known as the “painter of fashion” and for patenting Balestra blue during the same time period as Yves Klein was popularizing his own version of the color, is secure in his place as one of the all-time great Italian couturiers. His designs have been immortalized in classic films such as “The Barefoot Contessa” and “Lucky to be a Woman, ” he was synonymous with Dolce Vita Rome, and he made history when he sent men and women down the catwalk together in the 1970’s. A Hollywood aficionado who was deeply invested in the American market, he partnered with Saks, Bergdoorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Lord & Taylor to design exclusive collections for these respective department stores. He also was connected to the opera, ballet, and theater worlds; one of his last projects was designing the costumes and scenography for Swan Lake at the Belgrade Opera in 2019.

Renato’s influence was felt throughout the inaugural Balestra ready-to-wear collection. The logo, in simple block blue font, was fashioned after one of his hand-drawn versions dating back to 1971. The clothes, inspired by the fluid design, plunging necklines, and oversized shoulders of Renato’s 1970’s and 1980’s looks, feel timeless…with a couture-style attention to detail.

And one of the collection’s mantras: “born from a dream of light at dusk, ” reflects the symbolic passing of the torch from Renato to his daughters and granddaughters. It also represents the perpetual regeneration of Rome, the “eternal city, ” which has remained at the center of history for thousands of years and is uniquely possessed of a certain infinite energy which has won hearts and built empires.

Rome is intoxicating, and, as much as any other city, is most alive after dark. That’s a spirit that the F/W 23 collection was designed to capture: it “speaks of freedom, of the desire to live the night, and stay up until dawn - because the rising sun is a symbol of optimism. ” The press release stated: “This collection is our homage to the dreams that never fade, the ones we chase after, the ones that push the best of us under the spotlight, the ones we can still feel in our eyes when we wake up – and change how we see the future. ” It’s a poignant concept that should link Balestra to new generations: both because of the boundless energy of youth and also because of the specific flashpoint (the party-starved Covid era) in which today’s teens are coming of age. As a young person myself, I was moved by the collection’s unabashed exuberance and glamor. From slinky and sequined black tops to leather pants in a neon “Balestra blue, ” many of the pieces on display left me with a strong desire for a night out at my favorite Rome club: Raspoutine. They also evoked my love for Rome in the daylight hours;. Prints of Giovanni Baattista Piranesi’s 18th century etchings, depicting the city’s ancient landmarks from the Pantheon to the Coliseum, danced across hoodies, coats, leggings, and other daywear. “Quoting the city is our invitation to dream, to let feelings run through us, to imagine physical and ideal places, ” Sofia Bernoulli Balestra said.

As the fashion world mourns Rene Balestra, we can take some solace in the fact that he was alive for the presentation of this collection. Rene saw his legacy revitalized by his heirs with an evocative debut that captured the essence of his elegance…and shared it with a whole new market. While its founder may be gone, the Balestra name is as strong as ever…and I can’t wait to see how future collections continue to honor it.