Renato Balestra was born in Naples.
=== Rome ===In 1954, he moved to Rome and began working as a designer for prestigious fashion houses such as Emilio Schuberth, Maria Antonelli, and the Sorelle Fontana
=== Recognition ===During his career, Balestra received prestigious awards in recognition of his talent: he was made Honorary Professor of the Beijing Fashion Academy; Italian President Giorgio Napolitano appointed him Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2009; and he was nominated International Couturier Extraordinaire by the Asian Couture Federation in Singapore

