Renato Balestra is an Italian fashion designer.
Born in Trieste, Renato Balestra comes from a family of architects and engineers. After a childhood steeped in the Mid-European cultural environment of the area, he too began studying for a degree in civil engineering. However, from a very young age, he dedicated much of his time to artistic activities, including both painting and music, and devoted several hours a day to studying the piano.
It was not until the last year of his engineering studies, however, that he became involved in fashion, creating a design in response to a bet made among friends.
It is fair to say that fashion chose Renato Balestra, rather than Renato Balestra choosing fashion.
Without his knowledge, the result was sent to Milan and, to his great surprise, he was invited by the Italian Fashion Center to participate in the creation of an haute couture collection.
Renato Balestra gave up his university studies and completed an apprenticeship under Jole Veneziani in Milan. In 1954 he moved to Rome.