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 |
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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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