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Celebrities weep for Versace at Milan memorial

July 22, 1997
Web posted at: 3:03 p.m. EDT (1903 GMT)

MILAN, Italy (CNN) -- Naomi Campbell, one of Gianni Versace's favorite models, wept openly Tuesday as she, Princess Diana, Elton John and scores of international celebrities came here to say goodbye to the murdered fashion designer at the first public memorial in his native land.

Some 2,000 people, including Versace's brother Santo, his sister Donatella and his companion Antonio D'Amico, packed Milan's Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral for the service, one week after the Italian designer was gunned down outside his Miami Beach home.

Authorities continued their hunt for the shooter, believed to be spree killing suspect Andrew Cunanan.

Famous faces in mourning

Those from the fashion world in attendance included model Carla Bruni and designers Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Carla Fendi and Tai Missoni.

Also present were singer Sting, Carolyn Bessette, the wife of John Kennedy Jr.; and Italian ski star Alberto Tomba.

Sting and Elton John were to sing a setting of Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd."

Italian opera star Luciano Pavarotti also was expected.

Campbell, wearing a black dress and jacket and dark glasses, had to be supported prior to the service as she walked to the Versace empire headquarters in Milan. She was doubled over and crying.

Princess Diana, a lover of Versace's glamorous, sexy clothes, wore a black dress and white pearls. The designer had named a handbag after her -- the Lady Di.

Controversy about using cathedral for Versace's memorial -- RAI Milan Bureau Chief Antonio Di Bella reports
icon 278 K / 25 sec. AIFF or WAV audio

The princess was seated next to John. The pop singer, a fan of Versace's flamboyant outfits, was dressed in a dark suit.

Earlier, John burst into tears as he and others paid their respects in the courtyard of Versace's downtown Milan home, where the urn containing the designer's ashes sat on a simple altar.

The service in the cathedral was not a funeral Mass because, according to the Roman Catholic Church, a funeral can only take place before cremation.

Reuters contributed to this report.

 
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