L.A. Confidential: Renato Balestra Debuts in La La Land (Part 1)

Dear Pennies and Pens,

Millennium Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles hosts Renato Balestra.

Renowned Italian designer Renato Balestra chose the arguably most glamorous and star-studded city in the U.S. to make his first-ever American debut of his couture collections. That’s right my pen fam, he came here to Los Angeles.

The fashion show was held Thursday, April 14, and included jaw-dropping gowns, intense detail and, above all, sparkle.
Held at the fittingly enchanting Millennium Biltmore hotel in the heart of L.A., Balestra’s event (titled “Una Notte di Speranza”) benefited City of Hope, a cancer research center that has presented some of the most widely used cancer drugs to the science world.

Balestra has dressed the most prominent women around the world—royals, actresses, doctors, the list goes on. And his show was curated to showcase his global fame, which began in Europe—this is where Balestra’s debut show began as he took us around the world…

We started with fashionably fierce matadors—donning detailed and trimmed cropped jackets and chiffon mini dresses.

Then…. there was the sparkle!

Renato Balestra evening wear in gold frame.

Balestra took us to the south of France…

And, we were invited to a Victorian masquerade ball…

Renato Balestra Victorian-inspired costume evening gowns with head wear.

We stopped by a royal wedding…

Finally, we made our way back home to America…

Designer Renato Balestra stands with a model as his debut showing in America comes to an end Thursday, April 16, 2011.

Note: All photographs in this column were taken by L.A. Confidential

Coming up next on L.A. Confidential—we take you backstage at the Renato Balestra show. Stay tuned to see which of Hollywood and Europe’s elite were there.

And there it is. The Fashion & Style of the Pen…Chosen by Pen…Reported by L.A. Confidential.

Leave a Comment

5 Comments

  1. This seems like a fun show.

    Posted 4.24.11 Reply
    • de la Pen wrote:

      Yea, I know right! I wish I could’ve been there. Thank goodness for L.A. Confidential holding it down. Lol

      Posted 4.25.11 Reply
  2. ethan wrote:

    I like that wedding dress on the photo. it looks so beautiful!

    Posted 5.9.11 Reply
    • de la Pen wrote:

      Hi Ethan, It’s L.A. Confidential here—I completely agree with you. The wedding dress was my favorite look of the night. Yours truly, LA

      Posted 5.10.11 Reply
de la Pen